..last day of markets

April 12, 2007

This morning, Doc dropped us off as we elected for a head start on our 1/2 day here in HCMC.

First stop was the centrally located Ben Thanh Market, which had everything commonly eaten, used & worn by the Saigonese: veggies, meats, spices, sweets, tobacco, clothing, household stuff, hardware etc...if you want your fake North Face stuff, this was probably the best place for it!..however, there's a 'foreigners price' and the 'locals price'...if you speak DacBiet, you'll probably get the best deal in town...damnn eh?

After, we quickly walked through the super cramped 4 floors of An Dong Market in nearby Cholon. For lunch we treated ourselves to some viet-style KFC (I think it was chicken), then made another stop at Saigon Square where it was mainly 'window shopping' for us! (you get the idea)

We arrived back at Docs house by 3pm where we refreshened, then packed and got organized for our journey home. Phoung, Doc's driver was ready to go and off to the airport we went!.....After this long and slow cruise in traffic (mainly hundreds of motor bikers on the roads), I can understand why Doc got rid of his Mercedes in exchange for a Driver + SUV....

We smooshed down yet another bowl of PHO-gac at the airport before we made it through the gates.....hay, $10 duty free Smirnoff was a steal!

We arrived back in Bangkok where we were efficienly greeted & shuttled to the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel...we were very impressed with this newly opened hotel and its modern furnishings, decor and ever so friendly/kind staff!...thanx again Ms. IATA!

Cu Chi Tunnels & HCMC city tour

April 11, 2007

We arrived at Sinh Cafe for our last full day of sightseeing; the famous Cu Chi Tunnels followed by a 1/2 day tour of the sights around HCMC.

Cu Chi, located about 70km north of Saigon was a village that over a period of 25 years, developed these 'underground' tunnels for daily living, but later also for resistance against the US military during the Vietnam War. Built only by shovels and straw pans, the network of passages extends over 200kms (Southern Vietnamese capital to the Cambodian border) and runs as deep as 10m below the surface. Strategically placed exit doors, chimneys, vents and traps were effectively camoflauged, enabling the Viet Cong to mount surprise attacks on its enemies.

Although renovated for tourists, the visable tunnels here in Ben Dinh were originally quite low and narrow, likely a reflection of the smaller builds of the Vietnamese soldiers. After our 30 metre 'crawl' in the dark and humid 'cave', you could really appreciate the skill and patience needed during its construction......

Along the way we both got are hands wet on a Russion AK-47...if you wanted to be Rambo for 3 seconds, you could try one of the many M16s and other machine guns available...(i was hoping to try a rocket launcher!).....anyways, for about $8 US, we shared a couple of shells and fired, under the supervision of the 'non-instructional' officer on hand. Despite using these shitty headphone style muffs that felt like 'ear warmers', I had to endure a few hours of mild tinnitis (ringing in the ears)...woe...intense!...I think aC and will will stick to shooting games on PS3!

After woofing down some viet-style rice on the tour bus, we began our 1/2 day city tour of HCMC. The hightlight was probably the 45 minutes spent at the War Remnants Museum aka 'propaganda museum' as some locals will call it. There were several 'themes' exhibited including 'historical truths', "requiem" aka photos taken by 134 war reporters all killed during the Vietnam War, models of the imprisonment system aka 'tiger cages' and guillotines and hundreds of other photos and war artifacts....As you leave this this place, you really feel the brutality of war and realize that many of the victims here were the civilians. From the horrific photos and models of mangled children to the deformities created by 'Agent Orange', there was definitely lots of stuff here to see and absorb!

Afterwards we made quick stops at the Reunification Hall (Southern Vietnam Presidential Palace), Notre Dame Cathedral & the ever so exciting General Post Office!.

Shortly after, we headed back to the Maple Healthcare Dental Clinic where Doc hooked aC up with some super-duper teeth whitening program....best part was how quickly aC's models & trays were prepared and made (very convenient when you OWN the equipment vs. having stuff sent out to the labs)..Thanx Doc for making aC's teeth bright and white again!

For dinner, Doc took us to the Pho-est of Phos here in HCMC; PHO Pasteur!......we didn't have the flank, tripe, tendon or dog, but it didn't matter.....we went with his recomendation: 'pho-gac'.

...and to finish off the day, Doc took us to this Viet-style massage/spa centre.....ooops, only gentle foot and head rub for aC, but Doc & I took the 90 minute package....nothing like hot rocks being rolled on your neck and shoulders!!..ahhh......

Day 3 - Cai Rang Floating Markets

In the Vietnam, the buzz on the streets, the putter of bikes and the honking starts bright & early each morning...uhmm...like 5:30am early.....the floating markets here in Can Tho are no different!

After a quick breakfast, we headed down the Can Tho River towards the Cai Rang Floating Markets, the largest of its kind along the Mekong Delta. Each morning between 5 and 8 am, hundres of boats flood the area with all those goods for sale! If you want to buy, you just 'row' up on a small boat... Just like in Cai Be we saw tonnes of diffent fruits & veggies waiting to be dumped off.

After a 45 min boat ride through this dirty and windy canal, we stopped off at this tropical fruit orchard where we saw more 'jack fruits', 'mangostines' and pineapples...just to name a few....aC had to have her coconut juice...too bad it wasn't ice cold :(

Along the way we also stopped at this Rice Milling Factory where we got a quick overview on how those tiny white things that we all seem to eat so much are grown and prepared for sale...

For lunch 'Thi' ordered us some local Viet-style cuisine at Hoa Chau; some kinda fish in hot bowl + tangy sauce, some red fish in soup along with some veggies....This wasn't your Pho Hoa Dac Biet Gan Sach or Thit Ngua (aka Horse Meat)....but we thought 'lets just give it a try'.....and to our surprise, it was very tasty and quite filling.

After lunch we made our way back to HCMC with stops in Long Xuyen and Chau Thanh (Tien Giang). The timing was just right as aC's 'excess' consumption of coconut water didn't appear to have mixed well with her tummy....all that was reported was, "woe, I was really loud in there, probably the loudest of them all"....thank god for the Mekong Rest Stop station!

We finally arrived back in HCMC at about 6:15pm where we went for some quick Pho, before killing some more time upstairs at the internet lounge (that i'm currently on right now)...still can't believe its only about $1/hour here!

...another day & a half and we are home bound!......

Day 2 - Long Xuyen & Can Tho

April 9th, 2007

After some vietnamese 'sub' + jam for breakfast, we headed straight for the river where we hopped on 'row-boats' for a tour of more floating villages. Our 'driver' was quite energetic, probably in her teens, and effortlessly moved us about on her small craft. Along the way, we saw some more fish farms and huts on stilts. We made a quick stop at the 'Cham Minority Village' where aC picked up a 'conical-hat' (if you speak Viet, they give you better price of course...thanx Jhi)

We then re-boarded the bus for a quick tour of some sites along the way; Temple of Lady Xu followed by this 'nasty' Crocodile farm! (for about $5/kg, you can pick up your own gator and use the meat or skin for whatever you like!) ...i like the viet pronunciation: 'auk-a-dile'

We finally arrived in Can To, our stay for the nite where we checked into the 'KS' Hoa Phuong . For the remainder of the night, aC and I walked down to the water where we strolled the main 'tourist area'...more street food, cell phone shops, and restaurants...and of course that huge silver stature of Mr. Ho Chi Minh...

While at dinner at Tham Bo, this friendly dude across from us was quite talkative and made small talk in very quick fashion !?!. It was weird cuz one minute he was speaking fluent french on his cell phone, the next minute he was ordering food in full on Viet style slurr, and now he was talking to us in english (and Cantonese, after finding out our native tongue)....he later mentioned he was orignally from Saigon, but has been living chez Paris for the past few years....

On our way back, we couldn't resist the temptation of taking the 'cyclo-taxi' for just under a $1...The 6 minute ride was well worth it as it knocked off about 20 minutes, but more importantly got us across the main intersection where all those damn moto-bikes were!...whewww...

Mekong Delta Tour - Cai Be Floating Market

For breakfast we had these'flakiest of all' croissants just before we boarded our bus, heading southwest towards the Mekong Delta.

In a nutshell, the Mekong Delta aka 'the river of Nine Dragons' is one of the world's great rivers and its delta one of the worlds largest. It flows about 4500 km though China between Myanmar and Laos, through Laos along the Thailand border and through Cambodia and Vietnam on its way to the South China Sea. The name 'Song Cuu Long' aka River of Nine Dragons' is derived from the numersous branches along its path. Life and culture literally exists along the river; 65% of Vietnam's rice is produced here, fish farms are in abundance, and over 18 million people 'live' somewhere on or along this water piece.

Today's first stop was the Cai Be Floating Market where local large boats 'hang' samples of their goods from tall bamboo poles. We saw things like: firewood, yams, watermelons and many other local 'fruits and products'. Afterwards, we watched how viet style 'peanut brittle' and rice crispies were manufactured.

From here, we passed by Vinh Long then hopped on this10 minute ferry to Long Xuyen, the capital of An Giang province. After another 2 1/2 hours of honking (normal practice for road safety here) and bumpy single lane roads, we finally arrived to Chau Doc....really, just a smally town, but near the Cambodian border where many people stop off en-route.

We checked into our 'hotel', the Hang Chau 2, and found everything we needed!: a noisy ratty air-conditioner and a '1.5 piece' bathroom (i.e just a shower head on the wall directly in front of the toilet seat)....I guess this seems to be the typical style here in Vietnam, as Doc had the same kinda thing in his guest bathroom.

We followd our guide 'Jhi' to his local favourite 'Bay Bong' for some Pho Beef & rice. Yummy....lets hope it sits in the tummy.....

Tomorrows wake up call: 6am!!!!!!!

zzzzzzzzz

good morning Vietnam!

April 7th, 2007

Upon arrival to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) we were greeted by Andrew's driver Phoang. Call it limo service, without the tinted windows and Dom in the rear!

Andrew aka 'Doc' is my brother Mike's friend back from their UBC days...Doc has been in HCMC for 7 years now, and runs a state of the art dental clinic.

Its been probably almost 9-10 years since i've seen Doc, and I can only recall all the good memories; Two come most to mind; Firstly, I can remember the days when Mike and Doc would come home late after excess' partying, and for some reason, I'D end up sleeping on the couch because Dr. Tsang was done and somehow ended up on my twin matress?!?!...Secondly, years back a bunch of friends including my brothers went up to whistler for some kick ass skiing. Before the night had ended, Mike had puked on aC's sleeping bag, while Doc was hurtin' on the couch. The next AFTERNOON, at about 1pm, we finally ran into the 2 rascals as for some reason, they decided to attempt one 'run' down 'whiskey jack'.......well enough said

...Dr. Tsang looks just like old, and aC and I are so grateful that we can base ourselves at his place in HCMC.

In the late afternoon, we strolled through 'Saigon Square', one of HCMC's largest shopping/market places. Although no where near the size and intensity of the Silk Street Market in Beijing, this place had its fair share of face North Face, Nike, Puma, LV, Prada etc.......

We then headed to Sinh Cafe, one of the many popular Cafes + Tour Excursion companies located in the backpack district of HCMC....and done...we have the next few days planned!

another lay-over in Bangkok

Upon arrival to Bangkok (for I think the 3rd time now?!?!), we made a quick stop at the Novatel Airport hotel where we store our 'much used and handy' refugee bag full of crap....

We arrived at the Grand Mercure Regency Park, but not before I had to make a few adjustments to our reservation. After the 'minor' process or rebooking across the street at the internet cafe, the 'lady' at conceige was then able to confirm my new and lower rate of 16.00 cnd. I guess 28 bucks ain't much, but WHY pay more when you really shouldn't nor dont have to! (thanx again mr. IATA)

After a 2 hour nap, we ventured back into the city one last time. First on the list was MBK Centre, followed by a stroll through Tokyu again (aC looking for her new Martyr set)

We ventured through the streets of Patpong again, winding through all the street ventors and food hawkers. After some lavish shopping, we ended at Body Tune, yes that famous Massage 'place'!...the 90 minute session was really marred by aC's shitty experience with her 'big mamma'...this big thing kinda 'over-did' it and gave aC just a little too much 'CPR', and as the night eroded, aC found herself in some respiratory distress. After some calming 'respiratory physio', she appeared stabilized!....wow, no more massages AFTER diving!!

Advanced Open Water Divers now!

April 5th, 2007

Today’s Deep Dive was at Bida Nok where we descended to about the 30meter mark. At these depths we experienced what pressure does to an egg yolk and how hand-eye coordination somehow deteriorates. Damn it was wavy on the ascent, and it only got worse as we returned to the boat. After about an hour & half of enduring my classic ‘post dive’ feeling shitty routine aka (not talking to aC while experiencing ‘hung-over’-like symptoms), I was ready for our Navigational Dive at Maya Bay. Both of us completed the compass skills rather quickly and enjoyed the rest of dive at leisure.

…yippee…we are now certified as ‘Advanced Open Water Divers’….whatever that means, we’re both still very inexperienced but looking forward to more deep & wreck dives!

We made it back to the island just in time to catch our ferry ride back to Phuket…

Upon return to Rassada Pier we encountered yet another disappointment with the tour operator who arranged our Phi Phi Cruiser Tour; the lady aka Bitch at the desk refused to provide us the transfer back to our hotel (which we were originally told was included). To make matters worse, Mr. ‘Chart’ was this guy working for the tour who literally told one thing the previous day, then went another way the next day. After confirming for us he’d transfer us with no charge and no problems prior to departure, he now was saying we didn’t understand the ‘rules of the tour’…What an asshole??!?!

..I was quite worked up at this point and began to yell out at the lady…she yelled back in defense said ‘never this way for tour, for any people, for any tour’…and in classic thai fashion suggested that we take her taxi service for 600 baht. I answered her by taking her business card while suggesting that I give her boss a call (not that in Thailand, that would mean anything..)..but hay, she did feel threatened as she said ‘give me back’ and shouted out shit like ‘I call police..you on way back!!’…

We ended up taking an offer by this dude who was trying to assist us in the situation, but was not affiliated with Mr. ‘Chart’ or Ms. Bitch. In the end, just another lesson to be learned…NEVER TRUST ANYONE in Thailand, expect the unexpected when in doubt and only book things with people who speak good English.

After this minor ordeal, we arrived at the Baumanburri Spa & Resort back in Patong Beach. We enjoyed some hawker food at Jungcylon before strolling the streets one last time.

Wow..our time in Thailand has come to an end, and it’s been the most pleasurable time for the both of us! With all the different cultural experiences, decent beaches and variety of islands (Phi Phi definitely a thumbs up!), nice dive sites, tasty/cheap food, affordable accommodations and variety of shopping avenues, we’re so glad we chose this place as one of our stops! Thailand definitely should be on everyone’s list of places to see, whether all of the above interests you or not!

…lets see what holds in Vietnam next!

Diving @ King Cruiser Wreck & Shark Point

April 4th, 2007

Today, our 2nd optional dive was a Wreck Dive at King Cruiser. Back in ’97, the passenger ferry ‘King Cruiser’ was on a routine run to Phi Phi Island before it hit Anemone Reef and eventually sunk. Shortly after, the very experienced captain was nowhere to be found for questioning or briefing…conspiracy theorists suggest it was all an insurance fraud scam!

Anyways, the wreck was neat; we came across the engine room, bar, tables, stairways and a couple of toilets (with mooray eels poking out!)

Our 3rd optional dive was an introduction to Underwater Photography at Shark Point. For those interested, just remember; no flash, point upwards and get close! (that’s the take home message!)

After a nice dinner at Cosmics (yummy thin crust pizza!) but crappy cockroach lingering by the table, we enjoyed the luminous sunset at the beach.

Wecome to Phi Phi Island

April 3rd 2007

We were transferred to Rassada Pier at 7:30am where we hopped on the very popular Phi Phi Cruiser Executive Yacht. Arriving early was definitely a good idea as many of the outdoor lounge chairs were quickly snabbed by the hurrying passengers. 2 hours later, we arrived to Phi Phi Island where the lame ‘sightseeing portion’ of the cruise was a quick narration and drive by of Phi Phi Ley and some its highlights (Maya Bay, Loh Sama Bay, Phi Leh Cove & Viking Cave…Phi Phi Island actually consists of 2 islands; Koh Phi Phi Don (aka Phi Phi Island) & the unhabited Phi Phi Ley but better known for the filming of ‘The Beach’ with Leo DiCaprio & Co.

Shortly after, we stopped at Coral Bay for some snorkelling. Aside from the many nicks and pinches we received (probably from the tiny jellyfish), this location wasn’t too special…and a GOOD decision not to go diving here for 2200 baht!

For lunch they sat at a round table at Phi Phi Hotel, where we met some people from Holland, Iran, Germany and England (what did I say about the many Europeans here?!?)

We checked in to PP Casita (one of the newest properties in the main town in Ton Sai Bay) and were pleasantly surprised with all the bungalows.

We headed down the paths to PP Scuba Diving Centre (came recommended by our instructor in Cairns) where we quickly learned that our current level of diving experience would only take us as far as the local sites (Bida Islands). However, after some discussion with ‘Maria’ and her ‘lover’ aka John (one of the bosses), we elected to enrol in the ‘reverse’ Advanced Open Water Diver course, which would enable us to do the ‘wreck dive’ and see some of the other more popular dive spots here in Phi Phi Island. Also, the ‘reverse’ order of our dives would allow for enough time to catch the 2:30pm ferry on Thursday.

First thing on tonites agenda was our Night Dive! A little weird and scary at first with no visability outside the beam of your torch, but within minutes the two of us relaxed and observed the aquatic ‘night-life’ of the many creatures down there! (wow, huge lobsters do come out to play at night!!)..it was also interesting chatting with our instructor Marta, who was underwater during the Tsunami, and never noticed a thing…and unfortunately, a bunch of her friends weren’t so lucky….

After a quick dinner at Madame Resto, we headed back to our ‘hut’ to finish off some ‘homework’ aka knowledge reviews.

Patong Beach

April 2nd, 2007

This morning we rented a 115cc Honda Click from our hotel and headed north/west towards Patong Beach. Located about 15kms west of old Phuket Town, Patong IS the centre of all the action in Phuket. Along with the so-so turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea, you’ll find every tourist flavor here; tonnes of street style shopping stands (yes, uhm more bikins, shorts, t-shirts, hand bags for sale!), hawker food stalls, shopping malls, beer gardens & bars, nightclubs…I think you’re getting the idea…!

For many this place seems like the ‘place to be’, but for some its just another beachy area heavily covered with tonnes tourists, many of them Europeans…and with the popularity comes a premium; cabs charge way more++ to take you there, street vendors charge an arm-and-a-leg for fake, low quality shit and refuse to negotiate price, food costs a few more bahts, and many of the above average accommodations never come super cheap. Patong Beach itself is okay, with huge stretches of sands, fully lined with hundreds of beach chairs + umbrellas (apparently a government run operation). I guess I didn’t find anything special with this place, but I can appreciate why young people (& families) love it here.

After woofing down a ‘double filet-O-fish’ (where have you ever seen that???) at McD’s we strolled the streets in search of accommodation on Phi Phi Island for the next 2 nites. It didn’t seem hard as every other stall was either a tour excursion operator or a tourist booth, or a guest house or an internet facility, or etc…..We ended up at Patong Swiss Sea tour with this lady (I thought was a guy) who hooked us up with a decent deal at PP Casita for 2 nites followed by a nite at Baumanburi, just down the block on Rat-U-Thit Road. The only thing that got our attention was how much CHEAPER the Phi Phi Cruiser excursion was going for here in Patong….well, no best deal this time, but a very good lesson for all of us; BOOK ALL TOURS/EXCURSIONS in town where you find the best prices amongst the hundreds of local competitors.

After veggeing at the beach with some coconut juice and some Singha, aC decided to fulfill one of her many things on the ‘to-do’ list, parasailing. For about $20, she got a 2-minute ride in the air with this dude kneeling above her shoulders, twisting and leaning between the lines while guiding the parachute through its course.

We ended the day at Jungcylon, Patong’s newest shopping complex. Sports World (aka Sporting Life/Sport Check of Thailand) ate up most of our time as we made a few purchases (thanx to the ‘grand opening sale’ + the VAT tourist refund)…and we even got a few free bottles of water & baseball cap for being such big spenders!!!

The ride home was quite the experience as local traffic along Thaweewong Road (main beachfront boulevard) was getting busy. Lets just say that I’m quite the expert now at starting and stopping a scooter without intruding on the space of the many other weaving-in-and-out/passing riders)

Welcome to Phuket!

April 1st, 2007

The airport in Koh Samui was one of a kind; probably one of the few where the baggage claim, check-in counters, baggage trucks and boutique lounge are all under 1 large hut. After the 45minute flight, we quickly arrived in Phuket, Thailands largest and most visited Island on the Adaman Sea

Dodging all the ‘you need taxi?’ dudes was work at 1st, but once we figured out that metered-taxi was the way to go, we had our eyes set on the yellow and black signs. Our hour long ride took us down to the southern part of the island near Cape Panwa. We checked into the Novatel Panwa Beach Resort and quickly made our game plan for day.

We took the 50 baht hotel shuttle to the old town of Phuket, but to aC’s dismay, many of the local shops and street venders were closed on this late Sunday afternoon. Our driver was quick to notice our concern and quickly offered to show us the Phi Phi Island bound ferry terminal @ Rassada Pier (we mentioned earlier that we were looking for ferry tickets). At the terminal, he hooked us up with this lady selling ferry tickets, but also day trip excursions to Phi Phi Island on the Phi Phi Cruiser. For 1200 Baht/person, we chose the latter and figured even if we did’t have confirmed accommodations yet, we could still enjoy a full day tour for just a few more Bahts….(a we hope this works out).

Mr. Driver then dropped us off at Central Festival, Phuket's premier shopping mall about 20 minutes from our hotel near Cape Panwa. We quickly ran through the 3 floors before making pit stops at Pizza Hut and Tops Market. Yay….finally Pizza, after 2 months of chopsticks pride and noodle/rice fever!!!...and a couple more 6 pax of Singha for 150baht each!

Chewang Beach & scooter tour

March 31st, 2007

This morning we discovered the ‘free’ internet in the business center…okay, this is the 1st time on this trip where anything at the hotel was free….we felt as if we had struck gold, and sadly enough the 2 of us were quickly attached to the computer screens!

We shuttled back to Nathon where we rented a 115cc Yamaha Mio Scooter for the day. At $5, this was a steal..and gas to get us around the 60km long island wound up costing only $1.50. Many of the locals here travel via motorcycle or moped so it didn’t take us long to figure out the rules and etiquette of the road (re; stay left in the ‘bikers’ lane, and do NOT attempt to pass on the right as many other bikers and vehicles may be close by!)

Our 1st stop was Chewang Beach, Samui’s largest and most popular beach on the east coast. Once the ‘wow-factor’ wore off, Hat Chewang was just like the many busy large beaches we’ve been too; nice turquoise warm waters, sea doos busting the waves, topless bathers and several beach side bars/restaurants. We parked ourselves for a couple of hours, got in some sun rays and enjoyed some dessert before we continued our way south back towards Nathon.

Our last stop was to view the famous ‘grandfather/grandmother’ rocks aka Hin Da & Hin Yai. Apparently these 2 rocks have been slowly chiseled by the sea, wind and rain into somewhat accurate representations of male and female genitalia. After closer look, these things are hilarious….(I’m thinking about sending my pix to Maxim Magazine with my captions)

We concluded the evening with a quick eat at Coffee Island, a cheap café just across the street from the tour-operator office.

Diving at Sail-Rock

March 30th, 2007

After being picked up at 6:45am, we were then transferred along with 3 others to the pier. Our divemaster guide ‘Clive’, was this very laid-back pot head originally from the UK, who eventually moved over to Thailand in order for a ‘change of pace’. The 2+hour boat ride towards ‘sail rock’ was bumpy as ever, and I thought it was going to be yak time again….BUT, thanx to my 2 doses of gravol last nite and this am, I was able to ‘keep it all in’, although I was really hurting as we entered the choppy waters. Despite all the nausea and shitty feelings of wanting to puke, the 2 dives here were great; water temperatures about 31’, visibility about 25 meters, very little people around and we had the opportunity to swim through the ‘chimney’, a 6 meter, sectioned off vertical tunnel at 18 meters.

After a long and exhausting day, we enjoyed a nice dinner at the Promenade, the beach side restaurant at our resort…(and no we took a break from good ol thai food!)

Koh Samui

March 29th, 2007

This morning we took a ‘sawngthaew’ aka the ‘Red pick-up truck taxi’ to the airport for 80 baht. If you are able to flag one down and the driver can understand where you want to go, it’s actually one of the cheapest ways to get around town.

Of course at Chiang Mai International Airport we relaxed and enjoyed the complimentary drinks & snacks at the Bangkok Airways Boutique Lounge! (this is becoming a habit!). Shortly after a 2 hour flight, we arrived in Koh Samui, Thailand’s 3rd largest tropical island. Located in the province of Surat Thani along with 6 other habitated islands (Pha-Ngan, Ta-Loy, Tao, Taen, Ma-Ko and Ta-Pao), Samui seems to have something for everyone; cheap fan bungalows, backpackers ‘districts’ (bars, clubs, ‘girlie-bars’/lady-boy stuff), busy and secluded beaches along with and a handful of fancier high end resorts.

We soon landed at the Baan Taling Naam Spa & Resort (formerly the Le Meridien Baan Taling Ngam), about a 40-minute ride towards the south western part of Samui in Taling Ngam. You could tell you were in some place special the moment you stepped out of the cab. From the lush manicured lanes to the beach shuttle services via golf cart, we knew this was going to be a treat!…and an upgrade to an oceanview was an added bonus too!

Even though there wasn't much else around the resort for about 15kms, seclusion from all the action of the island was quite peaceful and calming. With 7 pools, awesome cliffside ocean views and our own beach with 'lawn chair hut', it was worth hanging out here!...(for those paying the RAC rates ranging from 350 - 1000US, it better have all the bells and whistles)

Tonite we hopped on our hotel shuttle towards Nathon, just 15 minutes north of us. Nathon is the main port town for passenger ferries and cargo boats arriving from and leaving for the mainland. We made a quick stop at Lesco Lotus aka Safeway of Thailand, then had a quick dinner at Coffee Creek Canyon….as we walked a few blocks towards the water, somehow we stumbled across a tour-operator office where we booked a diving excursion with Easy Divers. After an extended conversation with some dude named 'Andy', we committed to the booking and the 6000 Baht that came along with it!

Thai Cooking School

March 28th, 2007

Today, aC and I were shuttled via Tuk-Tuk to the Chiang-Mai Thai Cookery School, the 1st cookery school to open here in Chiang Mai. At the local market we were given an orientation of all the typical ‘stuff’ used in Thai cooking including the many herbs, spices, pastes, meats, fruits and veggies just to name a few. Back at the school, we sat through quick demonstrations followed by a ‘go-at-it’ for ourselves. Today’s menu included: chicken in coconut mild soup ‘tom-kha-gai’, red curry with fish ‘gaeng-phed-plaa’, green curry with chicken ‘gaeng-kheo-wan-gai, fried mixed mushrooms with baby corn ‘phad-hed-ruam-khao-om’, fried big noodles with thick sauce & pork ‘raad-nah muu’, thai fried noodles aka ‘phad-thai’, papaya salad ‘som-tam’ and steamed banana cake ‘khanom-kluay’.

Aside from learning some new skills and a few recipes, this was simply a full day feast! This was the 1st ‘cooking class’ for the both of us ever, and WE can’t wait (or atleast I can’t) for aC to add this to her repertoire! Thai food rocks, and we are looking forward to serving some of you thai food, aC + sW style!!

4 days later, we are leaving Chiang Mai, and we can’t believe how time has flown by! Every new city has been a unique, new and rewarding experience for us both, and Chiang Mai has been no different. For now there are only 2 weeks left in this adventure and I guess the ‘countdown’ probably has begun. We’re looking forward to some more snorkelling, diving and more sun during the next 10 days in the islands here in Thailand!

Trekking Day 2 - Elephants & Rafting!

March 27th, 2007

To begin day 2, we woke up to toast, boiled eggs and hot tea! By 8:00am, we resumed our trails, pushing ourselves up and down the terrain with more ease in the cooler morning temperatures. After about 40 minutes, we encountered our new tour guides for the next hour and a half; a bunch of gigantic elephants! Although uncomfortable on the back and rear, the undulating and hilly elephant ride gave us more appreciation for this animals’ strength, stamina, agility and obedience!..what a great time! (and guess what elephant shit looks and sounds like???)

After resuming our hike for another 2 ½ hours, we made it to lunch at the Shan Village. Without hesitation, we all stripped then cannon-balled into the waterfall lagoon which was very refreshing! The cowbell rung, and instant noodles in village style broth was served! (of course, aC loaded the chilli power on!).

The last hour of trekking took us down the mountain to the Maewang River for some Bamboo Rafting. Lifejackets weren’t necessary, as the dry season had kept the waters at knee level depths. Sure, this wasn’t white water style, but it had its ‘moments’ when 1) we nearly flipped the 1 meter-wide raft into the shallow waters 2) we had to play the splashing game with all the local kids as we floated by and 3) we nearly got stuck on the ‘un-authorized for riders’ climactic speed bump (1 foot drop off).

A sigh of relief, as the day was done. No better way to celebrate but with a few cold bottles of Singha!

After 2 strenuous but adventurous days, we were glad to be back in the city. After dinner and some oohing/aweing and complaining, we decided that a $2, 30-minute foot massage was warranted….and indeed it was!

Hill Tribe Trekking Day 1 - Hiking in the HEAT

March 26th, 2007

To make a long story short, ‘people of the hills’ or ‘chao-khao’ aka ‘Hill Tribes’ represent about 1% of the total population in Thailand. Most live in the highland areas of the north, as well as along the mountainous western border with Burma, farming lands with are unsuited for the wet-rice paddy cultivation practised by the ‘lowlanders’. Two main groups exist; the lower slope tribes (Karen, Lawa, Khamu and H’tin) and the ‘highlanders’ (Kmong, Akha, Lahu, Lisu, and Mien”. Each tribe upholds its own traditions, wears distinctive style of dress, and speaks its own language. Many of these immigrants were originally from China, Burma and Laos.

…this morning we were picked up at 9am sharp and shortly there after we met the rest of our ‘group’ for our 2-day trekking adventure. We were a mixed bunch with other couples coming from the UK, France and New Zealand. The 1-hour drive west of Chiang Mai towards the Samueng area was literally a ‘pain-in-the-neck’ as the rear canopies of this Datsun truck was made for 5 footers like aC, of coarse unless you wanted a view of the roof! At the Shan Village, a stop was made for good ol’ fried rice thai style with pineapples for desert. Shortly after we took a quick glimpse of the Hmong Village, noting all the wild animals along with the interesting bamboo-style huts.

Our trekking finally commenced at about 2:00pm, and no better time to get into the thick of things but during mid-day heat! I think aC almost panicked because we were low on H20 (we were later told we could purchase bottles along the way). This wasn’t your typical Grouse Grind, but in 36 degrees, carrying a heavy back pack, we were definitely in for more than we were originally bargaining for! Through the jungles, up the strenuous hills we passed by rice fields and made funny faces at the buffaloes, boars, and other wild animals. Finally after about 2.5litres of water and 2 ½ hours later we made it to the Karen Village, our place for the nite.

Currently there are more than 250 000 Karen in Thailand, scattered all over the northern hills. They are all skilled farmers, specializing in ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ rice cultivation. However, environmentalists would likely be pissed with their ‘slashing & burning’ of fields in order to prepare the for the new seasons' crop.

This was camping at its best, except you had the interesting experience of: sleeping in a hill-tribe bamboo ‘motel’, interacting with the local tribal members and learning about the local culture and using a bin + scoop of COLD water for showering!!! (i.e NO flowing water!) A shocker to the skin receptors at first, but with the bug spray + sunscreen off, it was well worth the goose-bumps! For dinner, our guide (Boo-ne) made some green curry + chicken? and green beans + chicken?. (who knows, we could have been eating wild ‘dog’ or boar)

bed time = 8:30pm….During the night, the weather did cool down significantly as temperatures were nearing 10 degrees, but in the ‘hills’ or mountainside, that is much cooler than you think!…I think aC had to make a trip to the squatter in the middle of the nite, and I can only speculate how she was able to perform all necessary acts while simultaneously using a flashlight (use your imagination!?!).

Welcome to Chiang Mai!

Bangkok airport today was busy as expected. In classic aC fashion we arrived at the airport 2+ hours prior to our domestic flight and found the best surprise of the day; the Bangkok Airways ‘boutique lounge’ was available to everyone, not just those high rolling super-airmile travellers….Along with the free internet stations, we tried some interesting ‘thai-style’ sticky rice deserts.

After a quick 1 ½ hour flight, we arrived in Chiang Mai just north of Bangkok. The Novotel Chiang Mai wasn’t too flashy, but for $24/nite, you really couldn’t pass on this deal. Better yet, our bed was a ‘Super-King’, likely the combination of 2 queens put together!

Feeling some exhaustion from days past, we just relaxed at the hotel and planned our excursions for the next 2 days. 1st on the list will be a 2 day trekking tour into a Hill Tribe Village which also includes some exciting elephant riding and bamboo ‘rafting’. Ac & I are also signed up for a full day Thai cooking class!…yippee, lots to look forward to in the coming days…

To conclude the evening, our hotel shuttle took a group of us to the Night Bazaar. As implied in the name, more of you know what….

Our perception of Chiang Mai has been quite pleasant thus far. Although we’re here during the hottest of seasons, there are much fewer cars on the road with minimal overcrowding on the streets, people appear much ‘warmer’ to tourists and many speak decent English.