We cannot believe it’s over.
As a way to look back and summarize our trip, we’ve completed surveys separately to give you an idea of what we each thought was our highs and lows. Laura’s answers are in green and Katie’s are in blue.
Favorite local food: Thai green curry; Panang curry
Biggest rip-off: Vietnamese motorbike ride; motorbike ride in Nha Trang
Worst touts: India-Jaisalmer bus; the bus station in Jaisalmer
Worst memory: getting sick in Jaipur; being sick
Most random memory: Concrete/squirrel on a leash/our first ride in Fee; the waiter in Nungwi that spoke like he inhaled helium
Favorite souvenir purchase: kikoy-so functional!; Aboriginal mask and Hmong bedding
Favorite country overall: Tanzania; Tanzania
Favorite big city: to live in...Sydney/Bangkok for its backpacker culture; Sydney
Favorite town: Luang Prabang; Luang Prabang
Place you’d like to go back most: Koh Phi Phi for Maya Bay, Cosmic Pesto, and Papaya Massaman curry; Africa
Place you won’t go back: Agra and Darwin; India
Biggest lesson learned: you only need 4 pairs of underwear...I am more fortunate than I ever could have imagined. You can suprisingly lived off of very little; balancing social and personal responsibility
Favorite beverage: Kiwi shake/passion under a palm tree/peach frozen bellini; Passion Under a Palm Tree and fruit shakes
Favorite attraction: Angkor; Angkor
Best view: Hill's Inlet, Whitsundays; Uhuru Peak and Hill's Inlet
Best accomplishment: Kilimanjaro; this whole trip, but more specifically, Mt. Kilimanjaro
3 favorite animals seen: leopard shark/koala/lion; lion/sharks/elephant
Favorite dive spot: Koh Phi Phi--Bida Nai for the fish and Whitsundays--The Maze for coral; Koh Phi Phi for the abundant and diverse marine life
Favorite restaurant: Papaya/Cargo Club; Friends in Phnom Penh
Best deal: my carved ebony Masai man; the number of different hotels/guesthouses we paid only $2
Favorite outfit: a t-shirt and alibaba pants; soft Laos t-shirt and thai pants
Best shopping: Luang Prabang night market/Saigon Russian market; Luang Prabang and Chiang Mai night markets
Sketchiest accommodation: Vientienne; Vientienne
Favorite bar: CHOLO'S!; Cholo's
Favorite beach: Whitehaven or Maya Bay; Whitehaven
Place where you learned the most: India; India
Favorite person: Ndumi (local) and Tayte; Tayte and the local Alpine Ascents staff
Favorite boat trip: Zanzibar; Mama Linh's in Nha Trang
Best night out: The Woolshed and XXXX; Full Moon Party
Worst smell: fish in Hoi An market and Katie after not showering for 3 days; stale urine in India
Scariest moment: going the wrong way on a one way street in Agra and crossing the street in Hanoi for the first time; any transportation in India (expect trains)
Most shocking moment: 100-year old turtle sex; realizing our food was poisoned
Most annoying aspect of travel: timezones and goodbyes; annoying, irresponsible tourists
Biggest challenge: budgeting; staying on budget
3 Things you look forward to most about home: my bed/microbrews/my wardrobe; family/friends/home cookin'
3 American things you missed: Bojangles/free refills; TV/free refills/driving
3 things you’ll miss most about traveling: meeting people from all over the world and always hearing different accents/waking up to something new every day/trying new restaurants every meal; new people/new things/being the minority
So it’s goodbye to the spontaneous, nomadic lifestyle where the days ran together and there was something new everyday. It’s back to schedules, work, and to-do lists. Nonetheless, we’re excited about what lies ahead and what we’ve just accomplished. Wish Brady well as she starts her job in Atlanta with Ernst and Young. For Katie, on the other hand, the search begins for a career in sports marketing so save some well-wishing for her as well. We loved the experience too much for it to be our last. Thanks for reading and who knows, there might be more to come.
A little perspective...
The entire population of the United States is equal to the number of impoverished people living in India on less than $1 per day.
Our total travel (to all destinations) in kilometers is equidistant to more than 2 trips around the world (or the Earth’s circumference at the equator).
Even though we have no current means of income, our expenses over the last six months (including all transportation, accommodation, and food) will be comparatively equal to the price of rent, bills, groceries and other miscellaneous costs if we were living and working in the United States.
The cost of a year’s tuition for an in-state student at UNC could educate 55 kids in Laos for 9 months (so we won’t go into the monetary value of a private school education).
And in conclusion...
At age 22 and in the last 173 days, we have traveled over 88,000 of kilometers, slept on 79 different beds, flown 29 times crossing 17 time zones on 13 different airlines, spent 9 different currencies, heard 15 different native languages, observed 8 different religions, and taken over 7,820 pictures. Additionally, we visited 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites, were proposed to four times, dove 11 times on 3 different continents, got 0 tattoos or piercings, and averaged less than $40 per day. It can be overwhelming to think about where were at the beginning of May and what we’ve accomplished since then. To say this was the experience of a lifetime can be both a cliché and an understatement. We’ve climbed the world’s tallest free-standing mountain, survived the Indian mafia, witnessed the effects of Southeast Asia’s brutal history, and seen probably over one million different faces. From day to day we had to find food, accommodation, and transportation on a strict budget while making sure we made the most out of our time in each place. The experience has inevitably changed us, but as they say everywhere in SE Asia, “we’re same same, but different.”
Stay tuned for Brady and Katie do the rest of the world...
Friday, November 23, 2007
Siem Reap and Angkor Wat
Unfortunately the bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap isn’t as pleasant as the towns themselves, but it still didn’t surpass that dreadful ride in India. We were jam packed on a bus full of Cambodians since we took the budget option. For six hours we squeezed 7 people into the 5-seat back row of the bus. On the return trip they played nonstop Cambodian karaoke that resembled the high pitched shrills of a dying cat. To make matters worse the sound penetrated 3-decible earplugs and an iPod with volume on full blast.
Siem Reap is a booming town thanks to the tourism opportunities from nearby Angkor Wat. The central part of town is only a couple of blocks packed full of delicious local and international restaurants. The market in the same area sells beautiful Cambodian silk and kramas in almost every color you can imagine. It’s a pleasant town, but guesthouses and hotels continue to pop up and expand this area as the number of people coming into Cambodia increases annually.
Angkor Wat—the world’s largest religious building—was built by the Khmer Empire between the 9th and 13th centuries. The empire extended from Vietnam to Burma with its capital centralized in Angkor, a city of almost one million people at this time. The temples are impressive inside and out. While some have surrendered to aggressive tree trunks, others have remarkably stayed in tact and survived Cambodia’s extensive warfare. Ankor Wat is surrounded by a moat and wall. We spent 2 hours here exploring the temples bas-reliefs (intricate carvings), deep courtyards, steep towers, and noteworthy symmetry. We were here by 5 a.m. to watch the sunrise over the back of the temple’s three illustrious towers and back almost twelve hours later to see it again in the sunlight.
Our second stop was Angkor Thom, which is a 12km walled city just north of Angkor Wat. Within its walls and at the center of the city is Bayon. The temple boasts 216 gargantuan faces of Avalokiteshvara. It was one of our favorites to explore perhaps because we were being just as observant as the faces that were watching us. Other stops here included the Terrace of Elephants, Terrace of Leper King, the Royal Palace, and Prasats Suor Prat’s 12 towers.
In between visits to various sites, you could see amputee land mine victims playing in a band to support their families or bazaars with ambitious salespeople yelling for your attention and business. Precious little kids ran around you trying to sell even more things for—get this—only one dollar!
Ta Phrom looks like a scene from Indiana Jones. Lichen and moss cover the temple’s aging brickwork. The tentacle-like roots of mature trees slowly strangle doorways, walls, and ceilings. The remaining floor plan is a maze of narrow corridors and crumbling stonework. Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider was filmed here. Consequently, you have to wait in line behind aggressive, trigger happy Japanese tourists (in matching tour group hats) in order to take certain photos. The wait does give you time to admire the ruins and the trees that are growing from the top of the collapsing structure.
Our final stop was the hilltop location of Phnom Bakheng which is a small hike for a view over the trees and perfect for sunset. Turns out, everyone else thought so too. Thousands of aggressive tourists gathered on top of this temple, which one of Angkor’s several temples meant to represent Mt. Meru. The mob was indeed a circus and ultimately a distraction from probably one of the most beautiful sunsets we’ve seen all trip.
We managed to spend over 13 hours climbing, walking, and observing almost every crack and carving of eight Angkor masterpieces. Each one is unique and truly remarkable. Angkor today is a glimpse into the once-thriving empire and an ancient civilization whose abilities and dedication far surpassed many of its time.
Angkor Wat is the pride and joy of Cambodia. It’s the center of the nation’s flag and the national beer. Guesthouses, stores, t-shirts, and other products also proudly use its name and image. Angkor is a symbol of the country’s intelligence, success, and survival—perhaps even more so a diversion from their recent brutal history and a truer representation of Cambodian people.
Siem Reap is a booming town thanks to the tourism opportunities from nearby Angkor Wat. The central part of town is only a couple of blocks packed full of delicious local and international restaurants. The market in the same area sells beautiful Cambodian silk and kramas in almost every color you can imagine. It’s a pleasant town, but guesthouses and hotels continue to pop up and expand this area as the number of people coming into Cambodia increases annually.
Angkor Wat—the world’s largest religious building—was built by the Khmer Empire between the 9th and 13th centuries. The empire extended from Vietnam to Burma with its capital centralized in Angkor, a city of almost one million people at this time. The temples are impressive inside and out. While some have surrendered to aggressive tree trunks, others have remarkably stayed in tact and survived Cambodia’s extensive warfare. Ankor Wat is surrounded by a moat and wall. We spent 2 hours here exploring the temples bas-reliefs (intricate carvings), deep courtyards, steep towers, and noteworthy symmetry. We were here by 5 a.m. to watch the sunrise over the back of the temple’s three illustrious towers and back almost twelve hours later to see it again in the sunlight.
Our second stop was Angkor Thom, which is a 12km walled city just north of Angkor Wat. Within its walls and at the center of the city is Bayon. The temple boasts 216 gargantuan faces of Avalokiteshvara. It was one of our favorites to explore perhaps because we were being just as observant as the faces that were watching us. Other stops here included the Terrace of Elephants, Terrace of Leper King, the Royal Palace, and Prasats Suor Prat’s 12 towers.
In between visits to various sites, you could see amputee land mine victims playing in a band to support their families or bazaars with ambitious salespeople yelling for your attention and business. Precious little kids ran around you trying to sell even more things for—get this—only one dollar!
Ta Phrom looks like a scene from Indiana Jones. Lichen and moss cover the temple’s aging brickwork. The tentacle-like roots of mature trees slowly strangle doorways, walls, and ceilings. The remaining floor plan is a maze of narrow corridors and crumbling stonework. Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider was filmed here. Consequently, you have to wait in line behind aggressive, trigger happy Japanese tourists (in matching tour group hats) in order to take certain photos. The wait does give you time to admire the ruins and the trees that are growing from the top of the collapsing structure.
Our final stop was the hilltop location of Phnom Bakheng which is a small hike for a view over the trees and perfect for sunset. Turns out, everyone else thought so too. Thousands of aggressive tourists gathered on top of this temple, which one of Angkor’s several temples meant to represent Mt. Meru. The mob was indeed a circus and ultimately a distraction from probably one of the most beautiful sunsets we’ve seen all trip.
We managed to spend over 13 hours climbing, walking, and observing almost every crack and carving of eight Angkor masterpieces. Each one is unique and truly remarkable. Angkor today is a glimpse into the once-thriving empire and an ancient civilization whose abilities and dedication far surpassed many of its time.
Angkor Wat is the pride and joy of Cambodia. It’s the center of the nation’s flag and the national beer. Guesthouses, stores, t-shirts, and other products also proudly use its name and image. Angkor is a symbol of the country’s intelligence, success, and survival—perhaps even more so a diversion from their recent brutal history and a truer representation of Cambodian people.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
We jetted off to Cambodia for 5 days to complete our mainland tour of Southeast Asia and as a visa run since otherwise, Thailand would have fined us for overstaying our 30-day welcome.
Phnom Penh is an accurate glimpse of Cambodia’s past, present, and future all in one. Street side stalls sell fuel in 1-liter glass Pepsi bottles while the affluent drive by in Lexus SUVs. Monks is red and orange cloaks carry matching umbrellas to shade them from the sun. Other locals use kramas, their traditional checkered scarves, for this same purpose. Scrappy street kids—some half dressed or naked—energetically peddle books or beg. Tuk tuks are packed sometimes 8 deep while motorbikes continue to carry families of four, sometimes a crate of pigs, or even hundreds of inflated balloons. Trucks have crammed as many people in as possible with some riding on the roof or in others’ laps (we’d guess about 30 in a minivan). One pushes a cart full of small, dried river mollusks while another cooks up....
One of the most interesting things about Cambodia is their use of the US Dollar in conjunction with their local currency, the riel. ATMs spit out US Dollars, but change is often given in riel if it’s not an even $1. One thousand riel is equal in value to a quarter. The only explanation we have for this practice is that tourism picked up in Cambodia much later than in other countries so they implemented the use of the dollar because its value is easier to understand. Nonetheless, this has created what we call the “only $1 phenomenon.” Everything sold on the streets is “only $1” whether or not it’s worth that much or more. For example, a kid selling a tiny plastic Buddha will also sell a book for only a dollar. Furthermore, beggars only ask for $1, which is quite a good deal of money them. Consequently, the dollar in Cambodia is a sneaky thing. For those on a tight end-of-trip budget, buying or giving only $1 turns into a second trip to the ATM.
Phnom Penh is a town full of charitable options. Because of the country’s troubled past, there are many disabled land mine victims, impoverished people surviving off the streets, and orphaned children. Friends is a non-for-profit restaurant that provides children living on the street the opportunity to be educated, work in the restaurant, and gradually provide for themselves with a career in a similar field. The food here was delicious so we had no problem giving to this cause more than once. The tapas-style menu included some of the following: sweet potato fries, curried pumpkin soup with coriander, sun dried tomato hummus, mozzarella melt over grilled vegetables and polenta, blueberry pie, and an apple lime freeze. Afterwards, we went to Seeing Hands where massages are given by the blind. Brady’s masseuse opened up to her by admitting the cruel treatment received during the Pol Pot regime was partial cause to her blindness. Additional, no Cambodians can have Seeing Eye dogs because they would be stolen and eaten. The organization here allows them to be self sufficient and provides a friendly working community, which they thrive on. We continued to help the less fortunate by shopping at NCDP, a handicraft outlet selling products made my landmine victims. Our last stop was at Veiyo Tonle Restaurant and Café, which was another non-profit eatery supporting orphaned children by giving them food, clothes, medical care, and a proper education. Most of the orphans help staff and operate the restaurant while the younger ones put on traditional Khmer performances on Monday and Saturday evenings.
In 1975 the Khmer Rouge seized Phnom Penh and implemented a radical communist government that would attempt to eradicate imperialism. The revolution relocated all Cambodians to the countryside where they were expected to produce an unattainable amount of rice. As a result, many died from starvation and disease. If their fates were not determined in the fields then they were probably sent to a security prison on suspicions of counterrevolutionary crimes. Unfortunately, most suspects were innocent and severely tortured and manipulated into admitting treason. These inaccurate confessions gave leader Pol Pot and his followers reason to kill on the basis of protecting their government. In the eyes of the “upper brothers”, Cambodia was to start at Year Zero with the purging of several thousands citizens who might prevent the success of the revolution. Most of these brutal murders took place in S-21 or at the Choeng Ek Killing Fields outside of Phnom Penh. S-21, which is now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, was an old high school before it was converted into the regime’s largest prison. Its pale yellow walls, checkered floors, and remaining blackboards give a very eerie feeling juxtaposed to the instruments of torture, barbed wire, and shackles that remain relatively untouched from when the Vietnamese overthrew the Khmer Rouge in 1979. While it is very real that the museum is located at the actual location, the pure evil and ruthlessness of these events are incomprehensible. A walk through the museum leaves everyone silent and numb. Hundreds of mug shots reveal the horror and confusion on the prisoners faces. Archived documents and confessions attempt to tell the story of S-21, but with few survivors, the truth is unknown. The Choeng Ek Killing Fields fifteen kilometers outside of Phnom Penh reveal even more tragedy confined within the regime. One hundred twenty-nine mass graves were found in what used to be an orchard before 1976. Of the 86 graves that were excavated, almost 9,000 skeletons were found. Most of these skulls are displayed in a 10-shelve stupa that memorializes the victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide. While an estimated 17,000 were murdered here, 1.7 million Cambodians died across the country as a direct result of the Khmer Rouge’s radical beliefs. Fortunately, paranoia and distrust weakened and dissolved one of the world’s most extreme and corrupt governments.
We also made a brief stop at the king’s Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, which apparently is on the list of 1,000 places to see before you die. The Silver Pagoda’s floor is composed of pure silver tiles and houses a 90kg gold Buddha that is adorned with 2,086 diamonds, the largest weighing in at 25 karats.
We caught CNN cameras capturing footage of Tuol Sleng while we wandered its unsettling hallways. The following day news broke that Duch, the head of S-21, and fellow surviving leaders would be put on trial for the crimes he committed over 30 years ago. Cambodians are struggling to come out of this conflict, which set them back socially, economically, and culturally. However, they do not want this to deter travelers from visiting. Cambodians are proud of their spot on the map and want people to know their story—good or bad. Therefore, they are warm and hospitable to those who give this healing country a chance.
Phnom Penh is an accurate glimpse of Cambodia’s past, present, and future all in one. Street side stalls sell fuel in 1-liter glass Pepsi bottles while the affluent drive by in Lexus SUVs. Monks is red and orange cloaks carry matching umbrellas to shade them from the sun. Other locals use kramas, their traditional checkered scarves, for this same purpose. Scrappy street kids—some half dressed or naked—energetically peddle books or beg. Tuk tuks are packed sometimes 8 deep while motorbikes continue to carry families of four, sometimes a crate of pigs, or even hundreds of inflated balloons. Trucks have crammed as many people in as possible with some riding on the roof or in others’ laps (we’d guess about 30 in a minivan). One pushes a cart full of small, dried river mollusks while another cooks up....
One of the most interesting things about Cambodia is their use of the US Dollar in conjunction with their local currency, the riel. ATMs spit out US Dollars, but change is often given in riel if it’s not an even $1. One thousand riel is equal in value to a quarter. The only explanation we have for this practice is that tourism picked up in Cambodia much later than in other countries so they implemented the use of the dollar because its value is easier to understand. Nonetheless, this has created what we call the “only $1 phenomenon.” Everything sold on the streets is “only $1” whether or not it’s worth that much or more. For example, a kid selling a tiny plastic Buddha will also sell a book for only a dollar. Furthermore, beggars only ask for $1, which is quite a good deal of money them. Consequently, the dollar in Cambodia is a sneaky thing. For those on a tight end-of-trip budget, buying or giving only $1 turns into a second trip to the ATM.
Phnom Penh is a town full of charitable options. Because of the country’s troubled past, there are many disabled land mine victims, impoverished people surviving off the streets, and orphaned children. Friends is a non-for-profit restaurant that provides children living on the street the opportunity to be educated, work in the restaurant, and gradually provide for themselves with a career in a similar field. The food here was delicious so we had no problem giving to this cause more than once. The tapas-style menu included some of the following: sweet potato fries, curried pumpkin soup with coriander, sun dried tomato hummus, mozzarella melt over grilled vegetables and polenta, blueberry pie, and an apple lime freeze. Afterwards, we went to Seeing Hands where massages are given by the blind. Brady’s masseuse opened up to her by admitting the cruel treatment received during the Pol Pot regime was partial cause to her blindness. Additional, no Cambodians can have Seeing Eye dogs because they would be stolen and eaten. The organization here allows them to be self sufficient and provides a friendly working community, which they thrive on. We continued to help the less fortunate by shopping at NCDP, a handicraft outlet selling products made my landmine victims. Our last stop was at Veiyo Tonle Restaurant and Café, which was another non-profit eatery supporting orphaned children by giving them food, clothes, medical care, and a proper education. Most of the orphans help staff and operate the restaurant while the younger ones put on traditional Khmer performances on Monday and Saturday evenings.
In 1975 the Khmer Rouge seized Phnom Penh and implemented a radical communist government that would attempt to eradicate imperialism. The revolution relocated all Cambodians to the countryside where they were expected to produce an unattainable amount of rice. As a result, many died from starvation and disease. If their fates were not determined in the fields then they were probably sent to a security prison on suspicions of counterrevolutionary crimes. Unfortunately, most suspects were innocent and severely tortured and manipulated into admitting treason. These inaccurate confessions gave leader Pol Pot and his followers reason to kill on the basis of protecting their government. In the eyes of the “upper brothers”, Cambodia was to start at Year Zero with the purging of several thousands citizens who might prevent the success of the revolution. Most of these brutal murders took place in S-21 or at the Choeng Ek Killing Fields outside of Phnom Penh. S-21, which is now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, was an old high school before it was converted into the regime’s largest prison. Its pale yellow walls, checkered floors, and remaining blackboards give a very eerie feeling juxtaposed to the instruments of torture, barbed wire, and shackles that remain relatively untouched from when the Vietnamese overthrew the Khmer Rouge in 1979. While it is very real that the museum is located at the actual location, the pure evil and ruthlessness of these events are incomprehensible. A walk through the museum leaves everyone silent and numb. Hundreds of mug shots reveal the horror and confusion on the prisoners faces. Archived documents and confessions attempt to tell the story of S-21, but with few survivors, the truth is unknown. The Choeng Ek Killing Fields fifteen kilometers outside of Phnom Penh reveal even more tragedy confined within the regime. One hundred twenty-nine mass graves were found in what used to be an orchard before 1976. Of the 86 graves that were excavated, almost 9,000 skeletons were found. Most of these skulls are displayed in a 10-shelve stupa that memorializes the victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide. While an estimated 17,000 were murdered here, 1.7 million Cambodians died across the country as a direct result of the Khmer Rouge’s radical beliefs. Fortunately, paranoia and distrust weakened and dissolved one of the world’s most extreme and corrupt governments.
We also made a brief stop at the king’s Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, which apparently is on the list of 1,000 places to see before you die. The Silver Pagoda’s floor is composed of pure silver tiles and houses a 90kg gold Buddha that is adorned with 2,086 diamonds, the largest weighing in at 25 karats.
We caught CNN cameras capturing footage of Tuol Sleng while we wandered its unsettling hallways. The following day news broke that Duch, the head of S-21, and fellow surviving leaders would be put on trial for the crimes he committed over 30 years ago. Cambodians are struggling to come out of this conflict, which set them back socially, economically, and culturally. However, they do not want this to deter travelers from visiting. Cambodians are proud of their spot on the map and want people to know their story—good or bad. Therefore, they are warm and hospitable to those who give this healing country a chance.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Chiang Mai
We took an overnight train north to Chiang Mai to get a taste of what travelers refer to as the real Thailand. We got off the train at 7 am and settled into our pink 7-story guesthouse. Since there was no elevator, the room price decreased the higher you went so we started our trek upwards. Having worked up a nice appetite, we went out for some breakfast and to explore the old city and its temples. Chiang Mai has over 300 Buddhist wats with architectural influences from Burma and an interior design with murals and intricate wood carvings that date back to the Lanna period (13 and 14th centuries). We only visited the three most famous within walking distance—the most impressive being Wat Chedi Luang, which is the ruins of an enormous temple that partially survived an earthquake in 1535. Wat Phra Sinh has meticulously painted murals dating back to 1345 and is the center of the Songkran Festival—a celebration in April when everyone drenches each other with water (and apparently quite a site to see).
For the evening, we signed up for a Thai cooking class in order to learn how to recreate some of the amazing food we’ve had here. The course started off with a trip to the local market where we learned how to pick out key (fresh!) ingredients such as herbs, vegetables, and curry paste. Brady whipped up this 5-dish meal: Pad Thai, Hot & Sour Chicken Soup, Spicy Glass Noodle Salad, Fried Cashew nuts with Chicken, and Green Curry. Meanwhile, Katie prepared Spring rolls, Chicken in coconut milk soup, Papaya Salad, Sweet & Sour Stir Fried with Chicken, and Phanaeng Curry. Believe it or not, we had a wonderful time clearing our plates—it was delicious!
You can check out photos they took of us at this website: www.chiangmaismartcook.com
(click Gallery, then November 2007)
To continue with our authentic Thai experience, we took a day tour out into the countryside to visit the area’s many hill tribes (most of which have also settled in China and other Southeast Asian countries). We made stops at 6 different villages that were home to the Akha, Lisu, Karen, Lahu, and Longneck ethnic groups. Little kids ran around half dressed, women in traditional clothing tried peddling handicrafts, and the elderly observed from their teak wood and bamboo huts. Corn husks were everywhere, pigs and chickens roamed freely, and the harvested rice was all being processed by hand. It was a glimpse into their primitive lifestyle with minor alterations thanks to modern civilization and government subsidies. The longneck tribe was a slightly different story. They are Burmese refugees whose women still practice wearing heavy brass coiled around their neck. The jewelry, as they see it, makes them more beautiful. However, the weight and pressure at both ends extends their neck, separates vertebrae, and makes them vulnerable to fractures if the metal is removed.
Afterwards, we wandered the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, yet another market that we feel we inadequately covered. Now a popular tourist attraction, the marketplace used to be the location of trading caravans who stopped here along the ancient trade route between China and Myanmar. Here you can buy anything from ethnic handicrafts, jewelry, and artwork to inappropriate t-shirts, designer imitations, and all sorts of Asian textiles and home decor. We were pleased to see a different side of Thailand; however, now it’s back to Bangkok before we turn around and fly to Cambodia the following day.
For the evening, we signed up for a Thai cooking class in order to learn how to recreate some of the amazing food we’ve had here. The course started off with a trip to the local market where we learned how to pick out key (fresh!) ingredients such as herbs, vegetables, and curry paste. Brady whipped up this 5-dish meal: Pad Thai, Hot & Sour Chicken Soup, Spicy Glass Noodle Salad, Fried Cashew nuts with Chicken, and Green Curry. Meanwhile, Katie prepared Spring rolls, Chicken in coconut milk soup, Papaya Salad, Sweet & Sour Stir Fried with Chicken, and Phanaeng Curry. Believe it or not, we had a wonderful time clearing our plates—it was delicious!
You can check out photos they took of us at this website: www.chiangmaismartcook.com
(click Gallery, then November 2007)
To continue with our authentic Thai experience, we took a day tour out into the countryside to visit the area’s many hill tribes (most of which have also settled in China and other Southeast Asian countries). We made stops at 6 different villages that were home to the Akha, Lisu, Karen, Lahu, and Longneck ethnic groups. Little kids ran around half dressed, women in traditional clothing tried peddling handicrafts, and the elderly observed from their teak wood and bamboo huts. Corn husks were everywhere, pigs and chickens roamed freely, and the harvested rice was all being processed by hand. It was a glimpse into their primitive lifestyle with minor alterations thanks to modern civilization and government subsidies. The longneck tribe was a slightly different story. They are Burmese refugees whose women still practice wearing heavy brass coiled around their neck. The jewelry, as they see it, makes them more beautiful. However, the weight and pressure at both ends extends their neck, separates vertebrae, and makes them vulnerable to fractures if the metal is removed.
Afterwards, we wandered the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, yet another market that we feel we inadequately covered. Now a popular tourist attraction, the marketplace used to be the location of trading caravans who stopped here along the ancient trade route between China and Myanmar. Here you can buy anything from ethnic handicrafts, jewelry, and artwork to inappropriate t-shirts, designer imitations, and all sorts of Asian textiles and home decor. We were pleased to see a different side of Thailand; however, now it’s back to Bangkok before we turn around and fly to Cambodia the following day.
Bangkok's Weekend Market
We made a special effort to attend the Chatuchak Market, which is only open for those willing and available to shop on Saturday and Sunday. With its 15,000 stalls and up to 200,000 visitors each day, the mother of all markets (as described by the Lonely Planet) overwhelmed us. Even though the market offered more than enough goods to supply an entire country, we surrendered empty handed. We expected to emerge from its depths lugging large plastic bags, but instead all we were carrying was a bottle of water, a little frustration, and a map that did little to help us find our way around the largest shopping complex we had ever seen.
Railay Beach
Before taking the overnight bus back up to Bangkok, we stayed two nights on one of Krabi’s mainland beaches. Since Railay has no pier, a series of longtail boats had to meet the ferry in the middle of the bay to bring visitors to the beach. This is an interesting and quite entertaining process when everyone seems to be carrying gigantic backpacks. We stayed in a budget hotel on East Railay where they send the backpackers since this side of the beach consists of mangrove trees and mud. West Railay is only a short walk away and home to the fancy resorts, soft white sand, and ingenious beach business. While you’re lying on the beach, someone will approach you selling foot scrubs, massages, pedicures, pineapple, grilled corn, sodas, beer, clothing, jewelry, and souvenirs. It’s less annoying more than it is convenient to have everything providing for you without moving. Over a four-hour period of sunbathing, we enjoyed some fruit, buttered and salted corn, a foot exfoliation, and an hour-long oil massage. We felt obligated to have a foot scrub; a woman kneeled down to feel the back of our heels and quickly gave a disgusted, high-pitched moan. She must have felt sorry for our poor feet because she gave us a bargain we couldn’t refuse. However, after seeing what came off our feet, it was us feeling sorry for her. At night we watched a traditional Muay Thai boxing match and enjoyed our last taste of Thailand’s unique beach bar scene.
Koh Phi Phi
The Lonely Planet warns backpackers that Koh Phi Phi’s beauty will evoke tears. It’s also not shy to declare it the prettiest place on Earth, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it doesn’t go downhill from here. There were no literal teardrops, but the uninhabited island of Phi Phi Ley is exotic, jaw-dropping, and spectacular. On the other hand you can also tear up knowing the island community of Phi Phi Don was hit hard by the December 2004 tsunami. Still recovering from the tragic natural disaster but as beautiful as ever, the Phi Phi islands might not have made us cry, but they did beg the question—What did Thailand do right to have the epitome of paradise in its backyard?
Our bungalow was perched on a hill amongst a tropical garden. The peacefulness was somewhat deceiving since we woke up almost every morning around sunrise to roosters and construction. We tied our hammocks on the front porch and called this place home for 5 nights even though you could see the light coming through the cracks in our teak wood hut. The mattresses were on the floor, but it was cozy. Thankfully, we had mosquito nets to protect us from whatever wanted to slide in and out with out us noticing (Brady found a snake skin in the shower the day we left). Before going to sleep, we recall the following conversation. Brady: “Is the door locked?” Katie: “If you mean is the wood piece lodged across the two handles, then yes, it is.”
For our first full day in Phi Phi (pronounced pee-pee), there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. We claimed a spot on Ao Lo Dalam beach and bought an inner tube to float around the island’s shallow bay. The sun was incredibly hot but we enjoy the baking sensation since it as our first legitimate day of sunshine. We ran into two guys that we met diving in Vietnam over a month ago. Even though running into people we’ve met in other countries or cities happens frequently, it is still shocking to cross paths again—considering all of the other places to go or be at that exact moment. That night we hung out on the beach at Carpe Diem Bar and listened to the famous reggae band and Thailand’s own Bob Marley, Job 2 Do. All of southern Thailand seems to have absorbed the Rasta culture, which is quite easy to do considering the island lifestyle and continuous flow of backpackers.
The following day we went out for our final two dives of the trip. Thailand is known for its rich marine life, which turned out to be true. If you blinked on our first dive (situated in between tiny Bida Nok and Bida Nai islands) then you probably missed something really cool. On our decent, Brady spotted a sleeping hawksbill turtle right below us. Seconds later, moray eels were popping out of large hard corals and huge grouper were slowly making their way around our cluster of divers. We caught a triggerfish chewing up coral, spitting it out, and eating it again. Another moray eel thought he’d disgust us by displaying his snake-like body and swimming from one hole to another. This is where we invented the dive signal for puking. We’ve come to the realization that we must dive everywhere together or no one else will be able to comprehend what we’re saying underwater. We caught on quickly, though to the universal signal for shark, which we saw...again. This one, however, was special. Three meters in length and spotted like one of Africa’s wild cats, the leopard shark we came across was sleeping on the ocean floor. We were able to get a really good look at him before our dive master woke him up. We watched him swim away gracefully before moving onto Nemo, the western clownfish. We have been looking for the real Nemo since Zanzibar but dive masters’ empty promises only turned up with anemonefish relatives. He was everywhere. Masters at buoyancy, we floated closely over a couple anemones to admire the clownfish courageously charge our masks and dash back into the protection of the anemone. The two share a symbiotic relationship in order to protect and care for each other. Puffer and porcupine fish caught our eye several times, but the weirdest was the lionfish. The brown and white-striped scorpionfish has venomous spiked fins that make it appear to be a creature from outer space. We were eager to start our second dive since the first was so enjoyable. Enormous schools of snapper followed beside us creating an impenetrable wall of yellow and silver that made looking past them impossible. With one glance, we witnessed a total of thirteen lionfish floating fearlessly amongst other marine life. Half of a black and white sea snake’s carcass was the only new thing to add to our dive log. Nonetheless, our last two dives reminded us that it’s something we really enjoy and have every intention of keeping up. Furthermore (as Brady astutely pointed out), how can we adequately “do” the world if we don’t explore underwater as much as we do above its surface?
The next day we met up with our reunited friends, Patrick and Gilles, and went on a day-long, longtail boat trip around Koh Phi Phi’s six islands. Our first stop was at a beach full of monkeys. Unfortunately irresponsible tourists fed them fruit, gave them entire 2-liter bottle of cola, and provoked them to be rambunctious. One charged Katie (who did not hassle him), but she was too quick, leaving another girl on our boat victim to an attack and bite on her leg. We went snorkeling just offshore and had a picnic, fried rice lunch on Bamboo Island. We circled Phi Phi Don to observe the island’s remote, white-sand beaches and limestone cliffs before heading to the famous Maya Bay. There is a lot of hype for this secluded bay on Phi Phi Ley because it was the well-known scene from Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie The Beach. Swimming in its pool-like water and burying your feet in its super soft sand, you’re surrounded by rugged and overgrown cliffs that protect you from large waves and currents. Boats full of tourists commute here from the mainland so we were lucky to find it fairly empty and quiet in the afternoon. When you see the movie, you’ll be surprised that a place like this exists on Earth. And from our experience, there were probably little special effects and cinematography to make the location appear that unbelievable.
While we explored the ins and outs of the island’s landscape, we cannot admit the same thing for its restaurant scene. We got addicted to some mouthwatering and lip smacking-good food at three places, which we frequented daily. Cosmic had homemade pasta, cheap Italian food, and a heavenly kiwi fruit shake. Papaya appeared to be a hole-in-the-wall, but it was always packed and consistently cooked up the tastiest Thai food we’d ever had. In the morning, we had our Thai pancake stand where we got a fruit shake and our jam and peanut butter or banana and honey rotees. We rotated in between Papaya and Cosmic for lunch and dinner because the food was so incredibly appetizing, we didn’t want to risk regretting a mediocre meal at a different restaurant. As the Thais say, we were Happy Buddha which means big, full belly.
For our last two nights in Phi Phi, we attended the three-day music festival at the Sunflower beach bar. Everyone was lounging on triangle cushions in fisherman pants and listening to the lineup of Thai reggae and rock bands. Thai and western “hippies” sipped on Singha and jammed out together even though only half of them could understand the lyrics. We played favorites to a guitarist we called Concrete Man since his vocals resembled the sound of gargling cement. A man by the name of Tiger performed a very predictable, but quite entertaining magic show and fire twirlers from some of the island’s most popular bars battled it out in competition. The fire show contest narrowed it down to the best of the best that awed the audience with their speed, bravery, and flexibility. To top it all off, if you were drunk enough or just plain stupid; you could enter the tattoo competition that went on until sunrise. Despite the fact that guaranteed their best work and that everyone who comes to Thailand seems to leave with a tattoo, we could not be convinced in the slightest that this was a good idea. It’s actually turned into a small hobby of ours to spot the traveler or local without a tattoo, find the parlor without a customer, or—the most fun—find the worst, most ridiculous artwork. This is not at all to insult anyone who wants or has a tattoo; in Thailand it’s just a little sketchy and overkill.
Overall though, Phi Phi is pure and brilliant—a worthwhile trip from the mainland and a very deserving location to film a Hollywood blockbuster. They say the best way to contribute to tsunami victims here is to pay a visit so to anyone feeling overworked and charitable this place comes highly recommended.
Our bungalow was perched on a hill amongst a tropical garden. The peacefulness was somewhat deceiving since we woke up almost every morning around sunrise to roosters and construction. We tied our hammocks on the front porch and called this place home for 5 nights even though you could see the light coming through the cracks in our teak wood hut. The mattresses were on the floor, but it was cozy. Thankfully, we had mosquito nets to protect us from whatever wanted to slide in and out with out us noticing (Brady found a snake skin in the shower the day we left). Before going to sleep, we recall the following conversation. Brady: “Is the door locked?” Katie: “If you mean is the wood piece lodged across the two handles, then yes, it is.”
For our first full day in Phi Phi (pronounced pee-pee), there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. We claimed a spot on Ao Lo Dalam beach and bought an inner tube to float around the island’s shallow bay. The sun was incredibly hot but we enjoy the baking sensation since it as our first legitimate day of sunshine. We ran into two guys that we met diving in Vietnam over a month ago. Even though running into people we’ve met in other countries or cities happens frequently, it is still shocking to cross paths again—considering all of the other places to go or be at that exact moment. That night we hung out on the beach at Carpe Diem Bar and listened to the famous reggae band and Thailand’s own Bob Marley, Job 2 Do. All of southern Thailand seems to have absorbed the Rasta culture, which is quite easy to do considering the island lifestyle and continuous flow of backpackers.
The following day we went out for our final two dives of the trip. Thailand is known for its rich marine life, which turned out to be true. If you blinked on our first dive (situated in between tiny Bida Nok and Bida Nai islands) then you probably missed something really cool. On our decent, Brady spotted a sleeping hawksbill turtle right below us. Seconds later, moray eels were popping out of large hard corals and huge grouper were slowly making their way around our cluster of divers. We caught a triggerfish chewing up coral, spitting it out, and eating it again. Another moray eel thought he’d disgust us by displaying his snake-like body and swimming from one hole to another. This is where we invented the dive signal for puking. We’ve come to the realization that we must dive everywhere together or no one else will be able to comprehend what we’re saying underwater. We caught on quickly, though to the universal signal for shark, which we saw...again. This one, however, was special. Three meters in length and spotted like one of Africa’s wild cats, the leopard shark we came across was sleeping on the ocean floor. We were able to get a really good look at him before our dive master woke him up. We watched him swim away gracefully before moving onto Nemo, the western clownfish. We have been looking for the real Nemo since Zanzibar but dive masters’ empty promises only turned up with anemonefish relatives. He was everywhere. Masters at buoyancy, we floated closely over a couple anemones to admire the clownfish courageously charge our masks and dash back into the protection of the anemone. The two share a symbiotic relationship in order to protect and care for each other. Puffer and porcupine fish caught our eye several times, but the weirdest was the lionfish. The brown and white-striped scorpionfish has venomous spiked fins that make it appear to be a creature from outer space. We were eager to start our second dive since the first was so enjoyable. Enormous schools of snapper followed beside us creating an impenetrable wall of yellow and silver that made looking past them impossible. With one glance, we witnessed a total of thirteen lionfish floating fearlessly amongst other marine life. Half of a black and white sea snake’s carcass was the only new thing to add to our dive log. Nonetheless, our last two dives reminded us that it’s something we really enjoy and have every intention of keeping up. Furthermore (as Brady astutely pointed out), how can we adequately “do” the world if we don’t explore underwater as much as we do above its surface?
The next day we met up with our reunited friends, Patrick and Gilles, and went on a day-long, longtail boat trip around Koh Phi Phi’s six islands. Our first stop was at a beach full of monkeys. Unfortunately irresponsible tourists fed them fruit, gave them entire 2-liter bottle of cola, and provoked them to be rambunctious. One charged Katie (who did not hassle him), but she was too quick, leaving another girl on our boat victim to an attack and bite on her leg. We went snorkeling just offshore and had a picnic, fried rice lunch on Bamboo Island. We circled Phi Phi Don to observe the island’s remote, white-sand beaches and limestone cliffs before heading to the famous Maya Bay. There is a lot of hype for this secluded bay on Phi Phi Ley because it was the well-known scene from Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie The Beach. Swimming in its pool-like water and burying your feet in its super soft sand, you’re surrounded by rugged and overgrown cliffs that protect you from large waves and currents. Boats full of tourists commute here from the mainland so we were lucky to find it fairly empty and quiet in the afternoon. When you see the movie, you’ll be surprised that a place like this exists on Earth. And from our experience, there were probably little special effects and cinematography to make the location appear that unbelievable.
While we explored the ins and outs of the island’s landscape, we cannot admit the same thing for its restaurant scene. We got addicted to some mouthwatering and lip smacking-good food at three places, which we frequented daily. Cosmic had homemade pasta, cheap Italian food, and a heavenly kiwi fruit shake. Papaya appeared to be a hole-in-the-wall, but it was always packed and consistently cooked up the tastiest Thai food we’d ever had. In the morning, we had our Thai pancake stand where we got a fruit shake and our jam and peanut butter or banana and honey rotees. We rotated in between Papaya and Cosmic for lunch and dinner because the food was so incredibly appetizing, we didn’t want to risk regretting a mediocre meal at a different restaurant. As the Thais say, we were Happy Buddha which means big, full belly.
For our last two nights in Phi Phi, we attended the three-day music festival at the Sunflower beach bar. Everyone was lounging on triangle cushions in fisherman pants and listening to the lineup of Thai reggae and rock bands. Thai and western “hippies” sipped on Singha and jammed out together even though only half of them could understand the lyrics. We played favorites to a guitarist we called Concrete Man since his vocals resembled the sound of gargling cement. A man by the name of Tiger performed a very predictable, but quite entertaining magic show and fire twirlers from some of the island’s most popular bars battled it out in competition. The fire show contest narrowed it down to the best of the best that awed the audience with their speed, bravery, and flexibility. To top it all off, if you were drunk enough or just plain stupid; you could enter the tattoo competition that went on until sunrise. Despite the fact that guaranteed their best work and that everyone who comes to Thailand seems to leave with a tattoo, we could not be convinced in the slightest that this was a good idea. It’s actually turned into a small hobby of ours to spot the traveler or local without a tattoo, find the parlor without a customer, or—the most fun—find the worst, most ridiculous artwork. This is not at all to insult anyone who wants or has a tattoo; in Thailand it’s just a little sketchy and overkill.
Overall though, Phi Phi is pure and brilliant—a worthwhile trip from the mainland and a very deserving location to film a Hollywood blockbuster. They say the best way to contribute to tsunami victims here is to pay a visit so to anyone feeling overworked and charitable this place comes highly recommended.
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