Jana and I just returned from...you guessed it... yet another tropical island. This one is called Ko Chang (Chang means elephant in Thai, Ko means island.) This island is in the Gulf of Thailand, near the Thai/Cambodian border. Ko Chang is about 6 hours by bus and boat from BKK.
Ko Chang is yet another beautiful island. The island itself is imposing, coming across from the mainland it looks even larger since Ko Chang is extremely hilly, almost mountainous. This landscape makes for some breathtaking viewpoints and an exhilirating ride to and from our beach.
We arrived early a few days ago after an all-night trip via bus, sangthaew and boat. We were completely wiped out from this marathon and slept until about 1. The rest of the day we spent with a combination of lounging, exploring, and getting massages. Later we met Todd (a friend that works for the same school) for drinks at one of more popular places on the island.
The next day we checked out another beach, further south called 'Lonely Beach.' Lonely Beach is a cool beach, has a very hippie feeling and clientele (negative), but also feels untouched and isolated (positive).
We just got back from another boat/sangthaew/bus combination and are busy teaching, getting organized, and planning one more trip before we make our homecoming!
About Me
- Jana and Sean
- Bangkok, Sukumvit Soi 10, Thailand
- Our Address in Thailand: 27/39 Sukumvit Soi 10 Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 Thailand
Friday, August 14, 2009
Samui Part II
Our second trip to Samui we were also lucky enough to be joined by some fun travelling companions. John and Patty both joined us on this trip back to one of Thailand's most popular islands. This time Jana and I wanted to try a different beach, so we went to a beach called Bo Phut towards the North of the island on the Eastern side.
We spent three days in Bo Phut, soaking up sun, sipping cocktails, and enjoying a few cocktails. If it sounds idyllic... that's because it was.
Jana and both decided--all things considered--this was our favorite beach in Thailand. Bo Phut is pretty developed but nowhere near its Eastern counterpart, Chaweng. The beach is a little rocky (and extremely hot, impossible to walk on during the day without sandals) but beautiful nonetheless. And you have a great view of an island to the Northeast of Samui, Ko Phangan.
We loved it so much that we're going to try to get back down there for a couple of nights before we head back to the US of A.
Thanks to Patty and John for coming all this way to join us; It's great for both of us to be able to share this experience with people were close to! See everyone very soon.
P.S. Sorry this is more impressionistic than descriptive; if you need more details, check out the pics!
We spent three days in Bo Phut, soaking up sun, sipping cocktails, and enjoying a few cocktails. If it sounds idyllic... that's because it was.
Jana and both decided--all things considered--this was our favorite beach in Thailand. Bo Phut is pretty developed but nowhere near its Eastern counterpart, Chaweng. The beach is a little rocky (and extremely hot, impossible to walk on during the day without sandals) but beautiful nonetheless. And you have a great view of an island to the Northeast of Samui, Ko Phangan.
We loved it so much that we're going to try to get back down there for a couple of nights before we head back to the US of A.
Thanks to Patty and John for coming all this way to join us; It's great for both of us to be able to share this experience with people were close to! See everyone very soon.
P.S. Sorry this is more impressionistic than descriptive; if you need more details, check out the pics!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sukkothai
As we are quickly running out of time in Thailand and since I had a couple of off-days while Jana was teaching, I decided to set off on my first trip outside of BKK without Jana. I chose to travel to Sukkothai, a former capital of Thailand in the 13th and 14th century. Sukkothai is visited mostly for its ruins; I spent the vast majority of time there biking around an historical park set up there. In other words, I rode around in a large circle for two days, hiking up to ruins, taking pictures, and sweating profusely.
The ruins are impressive (check out the photos); my personal favorites are also the main attractions--two wats called Wat Saphan Hin and Wat Sri Chum. The setting of the park--lush, tropical plant life, set against large hills--is also enjoyable. I spent a lot of time out in the middle of the countryside with no one around except for cows.
The large majority of the wats pictured have been restored. Many of the Sukkothai ruins were discovered in the 20th century and subsequently studied and re-built by Thai and Western archaeologists.
Besides the ruins there is a national museum with Sukkothai artifacts and additional eclectic items. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed inside the museum, but I did take photos outside the museum. The main attraction of the museum was getting to see the evolution of the Thai writing system. King Ramkhanaeng created Thai script and I was surprised by how little the system had changed since it was first used. (Check out the picture of the King--he has a tablet in his hand and a sword at his side.)
Other than that, I'll let the photos speak for themselves; Jana and I are both anxious but excited to return home soon!
The ruins are impressive (check out the photos); my personal favorites are also the main attractions--two wats called Wat Saphan Hin and Wat Sri Chum. The setting of the park--lush, tropical plant life, set against large hills--is also enjoyable. I spent a lot of time out in the middle of the countryside with no one around except for cows.
The large majority of the wats pictured have been restored. Many of the Sukkothai ruins were discovered in the 20th century and subsequently studied and re-built by Thai and Western archaeologists.
Besides the ruins there is a national museum with Sukkothai artifacts and additional eclectic items. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed inside the museum, but I did take photos outside the museum. The main attraction of the museum was getting to see the evolution of the Thai writing system. King Ramkhanaeng created Thai script and I was surprised by how little the system had changed since it was first used. (Check out the picture of the King--he has a tablet in his hand and a sword at his side.)
Other than that, I'll let the photos speak for themselves; Jana and I are both anxious but excited to return home soon!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Bike Tour
This was one of my favorite things we've done in BKK. Bangkok is often a difficult city to navigate and see a lot of for several reasons: traffic is often terrible, sidewalks are in bad shape in many places, and overcrowding can make moving from one spot to another on foot a challenge. On this tour, though we were able to see a lot of Bangkok quickly moving from the center of city out to the suburbs and then on to an island that is not even part of BKK.
As mentioned, we began near the center of BKK and headed through one of several chinatowns. These "chinatowns" are so named because they're populated largely by Chinese immigrants and their descendants. These "towns" are densely populated with houses made out of lots of improvised materials (see the pictures). At many places during our ride the sun was almost completely blocked out--like riding through a cave or a dense forest. Bangkok is a city of stark contrasts: We went from riding through an area with gigantic skyscrapers and extravagant condo buildings to neighborhoods with shacks built on top of shacks built on top of more shacks in a matter of minutes. The differences are certainly more than aesthetic; the physical proximity of these distinct neighborhoods underlines the wealth gap in this still-developing country. (Our guide said that almost everyone that lived in this area had an air-conditioner and cable tv; but I'm not so sure).
After our trip through Chinatown we headed across the Chao Praya river to a small island opposite BKK. This "island" is called Prapadaeng and is created by a large bend in the Chao Praya river that almost completely circles the area. The area is a government-protected, partially-developed swamp. In many places the only way to get around is on bike or motorbike since the "roads" are 4-5 foot brides suspended over the swamp water. At times this can be a little harrowing and our guide said that she has about one person fall every trip. Unluckily for me, I helped meet that prediction; coming around a corner a little too quickly my bike headed off the bridge while I headed onto the ground, face first. I was fine, just a little cut on my hands. Luckily for me, I have no shame, so I was completely unembarrassed.
As mentioned, we began near the center of BKK and headed through one of several chinatowns. These "chinatowns" are so named because they're populated largely by Chinese immigrants and their descendants. These "towns" are densely populated with houses made out of lots of improvised materials (see the pictures). At many places during our ride the sun was almost completely blocked out--like riding through a cave or a dense forest. Bangkok is a city of stark contrasts: We went from riding through an area with gigantic skyscrapers and extravagant condo buildings to neighborhoods with shacks built on top of shacks built on top of more shacks in a matter of minutes. The differences are certainly more than aesthetic; the physical proximity of these distinct neighborhoods underlines the wealth gap in this still-developing country. (Our guide said that almost everyone that lived in this area had an air-conditioner and cable tv; but I'm not so sure).
After our trip through Chinatown we headed across the Chao Praya river to a small island opposite BKK. This "island" is called Prapadaeng and is created by a large bend in the Chao Praya river that almost completely circles the area. The area is a government-protected, partially-developed swamp. In many places the only way to get around is on bike or motorbike since the "roads" are 4-5 foot brides suspended over the swamp water. At times this can be a little harrowing and our guide said that she has about one person fall every trip. Unluckily for me, I helped meet that prediction; coming around a corner a little too quickly my bike headed off the bridge while I headed onto the ground, face first. I was fine, just a little cut on my hands. Luckily for me, I have no shame, so I was completely unembarrassed.
Hua Hin Part II
We recently returned to Hua Hin, a medium-sized beach town about 3 hours South of BKK. As I had just returned from Sukkothai, I think Jana was a little jealous and eager to get out of the city.
After a quick and refreshingly efficient minibus trip, Jana and I cleaned up and went to a restaurant/pub to watch Wimbledon. The food is the true highlight of Hua Hin; both Thai food and Farang food are noticeably better in Hua Hin. Jana and I both ordered Thai food--Jana ordered pad pak ruam mit (stir-fried vegetables with oyster sauces) and I got gai pad med muang (stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts). We then spent the rest of the night trying to avoid vendors and watching tennis.
The next morning we headed out to the beach. Hua Hin's beach is certainly not as pretty as the beaches in Southern islands--the water is a little sandy and the beach is a little muddy. (Hyper-development has contributed to the discoloring of the water). But the beach was very peaceful (not many people around at all) and later in the day the water looked much prettier. We also received massages on the beach--a common benefit at most beaches in Thailand. After about four or five hours on the beach we decided to head in. We spent this night as we had the previous, eating delicious food and watching tennis. The next morning, after some haggling, we arranged a taxi back to BKK. Even more effecient than the minibus; our driver had us at our front door in under 3 hours.
Not the most active of our trips by far but since we only had a couple of days (really a little less) this little trip worked out perfectly. It's a shame we didn't find out about the minibus before now; this was a much better way to travel to Hua Hin and still provides a great break from the urban jungle that is BKK. The guidebooks we have tend to mostly reference government-subsidized transportation, which is cheaper but considerably slower.
After a quick and refreshingly efficient minibus trip, Jana and I cleaned up and went to a restaurant/pub to watch Wimbledon. The food is the true highlight of Hua Hin; both Thai food and Farang food are noticeably better in Hua Hin. Jana and I both ordered Thai food--Jana ordered pad pak ruam mit (stir-fried vegetables with oyster sauces) and I got gai pad med muang (stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts). We then spent the rest of the night trying to avoid vendors and watching tennis.
The next morning we headed out to the beach. Hua Hin's beach is certainly not as pretty as the beaches in Southern islands--the water is a little sandy and the beach is a little muddy. (Hyper-development has contributed to the discoloring of the water). But the beach was very peaceful (not many people around at all) and later in the day the water looked much prettier. We also received massages on the beach--a common benefit at most beaches in Thailand. After about four or five hours on the beach we decided to head in. We spent this night as we had the previous, eating delicious food and watching tennis. The next morning, after some haggling, we arranged a taxi back to BKK. Even more effecient than the minibus; our driver had us at our front door in under 3 hours.
Not the most active of our trips by far but since we only had a couple of days (really a little less) this little trip worked out perfectly. It's a shame we didn't find out about the minibus before now; this was a much better way to travel to Hua Hin and still provides a great break from the urban jungle that is BKK. The guidebooks we have tend to mostly reference government-subsidized transportation, which is cheaper but considerably slower.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
April
April was a busy month for us with Sean's Birthday, Kylie and Shannon coming to visit, and Songkran.
Sean's Birthday
The BIG day was celebrated at Vientien Kitchen which serves Northern Thai food and Laotian food. Shannon had only been here one day so it was a great place for her to try lots of spicy food. One of our students, Keng, was able to come with us along with another couple, Andy and Nicole. We ate a great dinner and then we got to experience some traditional dancing by the performers and also Sean and Shannon.
Also, we got to experience a Laotian Birthday Tradition. Everyone at the party ties a single string on to the Birthday Persons wrist. You should make a wish for that person, and they cannot cut the strings off. They have to keep the strings on until they fall off otherwise the wish will be broken.
Tiger Temple
We visited Tiger Temple with Shannon the third day she arrived. We paid a driver to take us to Kanchanburi in order to go to the Tiger Temple and Bridge over River Kwai. The Temple was interesting. It is located outside the city on several acres of land. The land has lots of wild animals that are all pretty used to humans. The deer would just come right up to you and let you pet them.
The tigers were an interesting part of the visit. The website about Tiger Temple states several times that the tigers are not drugged. However, after our visit it seems at least possible. They were all sleeping all the time. So it is a real tiger but it did not move at all.
Bridge Over The River Kwai and Allied War Cemetery
These two are also located in Kanchanaburi Province about two hours outside of Bangkok. The Death Railway Bridge or Bridge Over the River Kwai was built during WWII by POWs of the Japanese. The museum, cemetery and bridge were all very interesting and also really well maintained. There is a movie about the Bridge but most consider it fairly inaccurate.
Jim Thompson's House
Jim Thompson was an American who ended up in Thailand after WWII. He basically started the silk trade in Thailand, and put Thailand's silk on the map. There are Jim Thompson's shops all over Bangkok and other parts of Thailand, mostly in five star hotels. It is one of the must haves for tourists and the silk is very expensive. However, he also gave back a lot of what he made to Thai people and was very interested in Thai culture and artwork. So, his house that he lived in is now a museum showcasing his art collection and also the house. He lived in a typical teak house but changed several elements of the house making it unique and very beautiful. In 1967 he mysteriously went missing while he was on vacation in Malaysia, his sister was also killed in the US in the same year. There are lots of conspiracy theories but no one really knows what happened to Khun Jim.
Songkran
Songkran is the Thai New Year and the biggest holiday here by far. It is celebrated by everyone going home to be with their family and then having a giant water fight. There are also several elements of Buddhism thrown in the mix. However, the water fighing is what you see everywhere. There is really no way to avoid getting totaly soaked. While Shannon and Kylie were here, we would just be eating dinner, a truck would drive by and dump water all over us and the table. It was one of the best experiences we have ever had. Everyone drives around in the back of trucks shooting people with water guns. When you walk down the street everyone is dripping wet and holding a water gun, no one is exempt from getting wet. We got to experience Songkran in Chiang Mai up north, which is the place to go for Songkran, and then also in Samui. Definitly worth seeing once in your life, because there is nothing else like it. Everyone becomes a kid again.
Chiang Mai Trek
The trek in Chiang Mai was interesting mix of Karen Long Neck Village, Elephant Riding, Hiking to a waterfall, and white water rafting. The best part by far was our mode of transportation, a sawngthaew which is basically like riding in the back of a truck with two benches placed on each side.
The trek started at the Butterfly and Orchid Farm, which was better for the orchids and less on the butterflies. Next stop was Karen Long Neck village. They place gold brass bands around their necks and knees, only the women. They start at about age 8 and they only take them off once a year for cleaning and new brass bands. The neck bands alone weigh about 20 pounds, and it was originally started to protect the women from tigers.
The next leg of the journey was hiking to a waterfall. It was beautiful and the water was freezing which was great.
Next we did elephant riding. The girls, Shanon and Kylie, seemed to enjoy it and no one fell off. The last part was white water rafting. This was the favorite part for all of us. Shannon fell in, which was great. We were terrible and our guide did nearly all of the work.
Samui
After hanging out in Chiang Mai for a few days we caught another plane to Samui. Samui is a beautiful island off the southeast coast in Thailand. It was a great way to spend a few days after our very active days in Chiang Mai. We spend most of the time on the beach, but one day we rented a boat and went snorkeling. Kylie described the boat as "a canoe with a lawnmower on the back" which is pretty much accurate.
The first stop on the boat my snorkel broke, so our boat driver ripped off a piece of plastic from a bread bag and mended it perfectly. Our second stop Shannon was stung or shot by a sea urchin that produced three purple dots in a triangular pattern. So all in all a great snorkeling trip. Oh and we forgot the camera, so we have no pictures.
All of the pictures from everything above are on the right side of the page. We will try to get better about posting. Can't wait to see everyone in three months.
Jana and Sean
Sean's Birthday
The BIG day was celebrated at Vientien Kitchen which serves Northern Thai food and Laotian food. Shannon had only been here one day so it was a great place for her to try lots of spicy food. One of our students, Keng, was able to come with us along with another couple, Andy and Nicole. We ate a great dinner and then we got to experience some traditional dancing by the performers and also Sean and Shannon.
Also, we got to experience a Laotian Birthday Tradition. Everyone at the party ties a single string on to the Birthday Persons wrist. You should make a wish for that person, and they cannot cut the strings off. They have to keep the strings on until they fall off otherwise the wish will be broken.
Tiger Temple
We visited Tiger Temple with Shannon the third day she arrived. We paid a driver to take us to Kanchanburi in order to go to the Tiger Temple and Bridge over River Kwai. The Temple was interesting. It is located outside the city on several acres of land. The land has lots of wild animals that are all pretty used to humans. The deer would just come right up to you and let you pet them.
The tigers were an interesting part of the visit. The website about Tiger Temple states several times that the tigers are not drugged. However, after our visit it seems at least possible. They were all sleeping all the time. So it is a real tiger but it did not move at all.
Bridge Over The River Kwai and Allied War Cemetery
These two are also located in Kanchanaburi Province about two hours outside of Bangkok. The Death Railway Bridge or Bridge Over the River Kwai was built during WWII by POWs of the Japanese. The museum, cemetery and bridge were all very interesting and also really well maintained. There is a movie about the Bridge but most consider it fairly inaccurate.
Jim Thompson's House
Jim Thompson was an American who ended up in Thailand after WWII. He basically started the silk trade in Thailand, and put Thailand's silk on the map. There are Jim Thompson's shops all over Bangkok and other parts of Thailand, mostly in five star hotels. It is one of the must haves for tourists and the silk is very expensive. However, he also gave back a lot of what he made to Thai people and was very interested in Thai culture and artwork. So, his house that he lived in is now a museum showcasing his art collection and also the house. He lived in a typical teak house but changed several elements of the house making it unique and very beautiful. In 1967 he mysteriously went missing while he was on vacation in Malaysia, his sister was also killed in the US in the same year. There are lots of conspiracy theories but no one really knows what happened to Khun Jim.
Songkran
Songkran is the Thai New Year and the biggest holiday here by far. It is celebrated by everyone going home to be with their family and then having a giant water fight. There are also several elements of Buddhism thrown in the mix. However, the water fighing is what you see everywhere. There is really no way to avoid getting totaly soaked. While Shannon and Kylie were here, we would just be eating dinner, a truck would drive by and dump water all over us and the table. It was one of the best experiences we have ever had. Everyone drives around in the back of trucks shooting people with water guns. When you walk down the street everyone is dripping wet and holding a water gun, no one is exempt from getting wet. We got to experience Songkran in Chiang Mai up north, which is the place to go for Songkran, and then also in Samui. Definitly worth seeing once in your life, because there is nothing else like it. Everyone becomes a kid again.
Chiang Mai Trek
The trek in Chiang Mai was interesting mix of Karen Long Neck Village, Elephant Riding, Hiking to a waterfall, and white water rafting. The best part by far was our mode of transportation, a sawngthaew which is basically like riding in the back of a truck with two benches placed on each side.
The trek started at the Butterfly and Orchid Farm, which was better for the orchids and less on the butterflies. Next stop was Karen Long Neck village. They place gold brass bands around their necks and knees, only the women. They start at about age 8 and they only take them off once a year for cleaning and new brass bands. The neck bands alone weigh about 20 pounds, and it was originally started to protect the women from tigers.
The next leg of the journey was hiking to a waterfall. It was beautiful and the water was freezing which was great.
Next we did elephant riding. The girls, Shanon and Kylie, seemed to enjoy it and no one fell off. The last part was white water rafting. This was the favorite part for all of us. Shannon fell in, which was great. We were terrible and our guide did nearly all of the work.
Samui
After hanging out in Chiang Mai for a few days we caught another plane to Samui. Samui is a beautiful island off the southeast coast in Thailand. It was a great way to spend a few days after our very active days in Chiang Mai. We spend most of the time on the beach, but one day we rented a boat and went snorkeling. Kylie described the boat as "a canoe with a lawnmower on the back" which is pretty much accurate.
The first stop on the boat my snorkel broke, so our boat driver ripped off a piece of plastic from a bread bag and mended it perfectly. Our second stop Shannon was stung or shot by a sea urchin that produced three purple dots in a triangular pattern. So all in all a great snorkeling trip. Oh and we forgot the camera, so we have no pictures.
All of the pictures from everything above are on the right side of the page. We will try to get better about posting. Can't wait to see everyone in three months.
Jana and Sean
Monday, February 16, 2009
Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, and Railay
We just got back from another great trip to the islands. It was relaxing, adventurous, and definitely the most beautiful place on Earth. (Besides Kansas City and Springfield)So we left last Monday and landed in Phuket at about noon. We then took a mini-bus to Patong beach, about 45 minutes away. We stopped at a travel agent along the way to set up our tickets to go on the ferry that will take us to the other islands. Then we checked in to our hotel and headed to the beach. The beach was loaded with tourists, hence why we wanted to go to other islands. These islands take a little bit of work to get to so some stay away, which is better for us. That night we went to Bangla Rd, in Patong. The whole road is blocked off from cars and is filled with people, you can see from the pictures. It is just restaurants, bars, dance clubs, and craziness stacked on top of each other.
The next morning we took an hour ride to a pier to catch our first ferry that was going to Ko Phi Phi. Chuck and I went here, but this time we were going to have more time on the island. We were also not with a group, so we were able to do what we wanted. When we arrived, we hiked up one of the huge limestone cliffs to get an incredible view of everything below. You can see in the picture the isthmus that separates the two sides of the island, really amazing.
After the hike up and down we laid on the beach for about three hours before we had to catch our next ferry headed to Railay Beach.
When we arrived at Railay it was the giant rock formations that were most striking. Then, we noticed that the beach was all sand and mud. Also, we had to jump out of the ferry boat, into a long tail boat, and then walk in the mud to get to shore. Sean and I thought this was pretty funny, and pretty typical of Thailand. The other people in the boat, were very upset. You could tell by the looks on their faces, especially about walking in the muddy sand.
Railay was the strangest beach we have ever seen. When we arrived it was all mud, but by eleven pm that night, the water had come completely up covering all the mud. Railay also provided the most beautiful sunset either of us has ever seen. The sun looked so close, it was as if we could touch it. It was fiery orange and sadly none of the pictures turned out. I guess you will have to go and see it for yourself. Railay is the most natural beach I have ever been on as well. I would say that by American standards Railay would be too rough, and not cleaned up enough. However, it was great to see something so untouched.
Overall the trip was great and we can't wait to get back to Phuket when the girls come!!!
By the way, Happy Belated Valentine's Day. We both forgot about it :)
The next morning we took an hour ride to a pier to catch our first ferry that was going to Ko Phi Phi. Chuck and I went here, but this time we were going to have more time on the island. We were also not with a group, so we were able to do what we wanted. When we arrived, we hiked up one of the huge limestone cliffs to get an incredible view of everything below. You can see in the picture the isthmus that separates the two sides of the island, really amazing.
After the hike up and down we laid on the beach for about three hours before we had to catch our next ferry headed to Railay Beach.
When we arrived at Railay it was the giant rock formations that were most striking. Then, we noticed that the beach was all sand and mud. Also, we had to jump out of the ferry boat, into a long tail boat, and then walk in the mud to get to shore. Sean and I thought this was pretty funny, and pretty typical of Thailand. The other people in the boat, were very upset. You could tell by the looks on their faces, especially about walking in the muddy sand.
Railay was the strangest beach we have ever seen. When we arrived it was all mud, but by eleven pm that night, the water had come completely up covering all the mud. Railay also provided the most beautiful sunset either of us has ever seen. The sun looked so close, it was as if we could touch it. It was fiery orange and sadly none of the pictures turned out. I guess you will have to go and see it for yourself. Railay is the most natural beach I have ever been on as well. I would say that by American standards Railay would be too rough, and not cleaned up enough. However, it was great to see something so untouched.
Overall the trip was great and we can't wait to get back to Phuket when the girls come!!!
By the way, Happy Belated Valentine's Day. We both forgot about it :)
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
A little Behind
We have gotten a little behind on keeping up with the blog, but that is a good thing. It means we have been traveling a lot and we had our first visitor from the States, my brother. There are lots of new photo albums on the blog, there is a brief description/explanation of each below.
Ko Samet
It is a beautiful island about three hours from Bangkok. We took a bus there, which I am pretty sure is the only way to get there. The island was beautiful with blue water and white sandy beaches. The accommodation was extremely cheap. The bungalow we stayed in that was just off the beach was 350 baht a night, which is about 10 bucks. Now, there was no TV, hot water, towels, or maid service, but it was a great location. It is very difficult to find a place on the island to stay because no one takes reservations you just have to walk in to a place, and several are often full. The food in Ko Samet was really good, every restaurant was great. The nightlife in Ko Samet is probably its main attraction. There are fire shows on the beach, bands playing everywhere, and lots of games and competitions at various bars and restaurants. The fire show is attached below.
English Camp
English camp is a three day trip that our school puts on every year for about 30 students. The students do not have to pay for the trip or any of their expenses and go through an interview process with Kaplan to determine who gets to go. For teachers, the trip basically ammounts to a free vacation, so Jana and I were both excited to go. Unfortunately, the night before we were leaving, Jana got severe food poisoning so was unable to go.
The camp started at 7am on a Tuesday morning at Kaplan's main school. We herded all of the students into a classroom, went through introductions and briefly explained the camp rules. (Maybe it's a blessing in disguise that Jana couldn't come since gambling and drinking were both prohibited.) After introductions we loaded the students onto a giant tour bus and were on our way out of BKK. The trip down gave an accurate preview of the next couple of days. The tour bus was wired with a microphone and speakers and the students each took turns coming up to introduce themselves and to perform a song. I haven't listened to much pop music over here, so this was a good chance to catch up. The enthusiasm among Thais for karaoke is difficult to exaggerate; these kids were belting out lyrics to an audience full of strangers.
After a three hour bus ride we reached our pier (a haphazard structure that looked like 40 people was about all it could or should hold) got on a ferry boat and raced (at about 10mph) to the island camp was to be held on. The island, Ko Minork, is a tiny island (about 20 minutes to walk around) containing one resort that was virtually deserted while we were there. Upon arrival, we played a get-to-know you game then divided the students into their 'camp teams.' The students were then given the rest of the afternoon to come up with team names and jingles. The jingles were elaborate and coordinated. When the students performed their jingles later that day I was again struck by their enthusiasm and sincerity. (Maybe I'm just cynical, but it's hard for me to imagine getting 30 college age american students to be such good sports. I include myself in that description.)
The next morning the students had what we called a scavenger hunt but which was more like a series of games at different posts around the island. At each spot the students had to present their team name, flag, and jingle.
In the afternoon we had free time to explore the island. A few of the teachers and staff used the time to kayak around the island. The staff member I went with must of thought she drew the short straw; I've never really kiyaked before so we moved considerably slower than the other boats. Eventually, though, we made it around. As we boated around we could see little flying fish--fish jumping out of the water and skimming over the surface.
That night our students put on performances that they had been preparing the past day and a half. The plays were elaborate, lengthy, and hilarious. Everyone in the audience was applauding and yelling things as the performances were going on.
Our last morning we gave out awards, had one more contest, then headed back to the mainland. Before leaving, though, the students took about 10,000 pictures of themselves, the island, the ocean, themselves again, the teachers, a rock by the beach and many, many more. (Perhaps the only thing Thais love more than karaoke is taking pictures.)
All in all, this was a very memorable experience for me and (my previous joking aside) it's a shame Jana couldn't come because she would have loved it: the setting was beautiful and students were fantastic.
Chuck's Trip
Well Chuck came to visit and he was very shocked by Bangkok, in more ways than one. He felt pretty sure that mom would not be able to handle it here. He also had intense food poisoning which he is still recovering from at home. However, we had so much fun. We hit all the main attractions in Bangkok in just two or three days. It was exhausting but fun. Then, Chuck and I went down the Phuket which is the southern most province in Thailand. We hit several islands: Khai, Phi Phi Don, Monkey, and Maya Bay. We were able to do some snorkeling and got some good pictures of fish. (They will not be on the website because I only have hard copies) Overall the trip was great and I was so happy to have him here. Although when he left I became very home sick. The pictures while he was here are amazing, because their camera is a lot better than ours. So check out the ones from the snake farm and floating market.
I think that is pretty much the update for now. We are leaving for Phuket in about 5 days so more pictures will be going up soon.
We miss everybody,
Sean and Jana
Ko Samet
It is a beautiful island about three hours from Bangkok. We took a bus there, which I am pretty sure is the only way to get there. The island was beautiful with blue water and white sandy beaches. The accommodation was extremely cheap. The bungalow we stayed in that was just off the beach was 350 baht a night, which is about 10 bucks. Now, there was no TV, hot water, towels, or maid service, but it was a great location. It is very difficult to find a place on the island to stay because no one takes reservations you just have to walk in to a place, and several are often full. The food in Ko Samet was really good, every restaurant was great. The nightlife in Ko Samet is probably its main attraction. There are fire shows on the beach, bands playing everywhere, and lots of games and competitions at various bars and restaurants. The fire show is attached below.
English Camp
English camp is a three day trip that our school puts on every year for about 30 students. The students do not have to pay for the trip or any of their expenses and go through an interview process with Kaplan to determine who gets to go. For teachers, the trip basically ammounts to a free vacation, so Jana and I were both excited to go. Unfortunately, the night before we were leaving, Jana got severe food poisoning so was unable to go.
The camp started at 7am on a Tuesday morning at Kaplan's main school. We herded all of the students into a classroom, went through introductions and briefly explained the camp rules. (Maybe it's a blessing in disguise that Jana couldn't come since gambling and drinking were both prohibited.) After introductions we loaded the students onto a giant tour bus and were on our way out of BKK. The trip down gave an accurate preview of the next couple of days. The tour bus was wired with a microphone and speakers and the students each took turns coming up to introduce themselves and to perform a song. I haven't listened to much pop music over here, so this was a good chance to catch up. The enthusiasm among Thais for karaoke is difficult to exaggerate; these kids were belting out lyrics to an audience full of strangers.
After a three hour bus ride we reached our pier (a haphazard structure that looked like 40 people was about all it could or should hold) got on a ferry boat and raced (at about 10mph) to the island camp was to be held on. The island, Ko Minork, is a tiny island (about 20 minutes to walk around) containing one resort that was virtually deserted while we were there. Upon arrival, we played a get-to-know you game then divided the students into their 'camp teams.' The students were then given the rest of the afternoon to come up with team names and jingles. The jingles were elaborate and coordinated. When the students performed their jingles later that day I was again struck by their enthusiasm and sincerity. (Maybe I'm just cynical, but it's hard for me to imagine getting 30 college age american students to be such good sports. I include myself in that description.)
The next morning the students had what we called a scavenger hunt but which was more like a series of games at different posts around the island. At each spot the students had to present their team name, flag, and jingle.
In the afternoon we had free time to explore the island. A few of the teachers and staff used the time to kayak around the island. The staff member I went with must of thought she drew the short straw; I've never really kiyaked before so we moved considerably slower than the other boats. Eventually, though, we made it around. As we boated around we could see little flying fish--fish jumping out of the water and skimming over the surface.
That night our students put on performances that they had been preparing the past day and a half. The plays were elaborate, lengthy, and hilarious. Everyone in the audience was applauding and yelling things as the performances were going on.
Our last morning we gave out awards, had one more contest, then headed back to the mainland. Before leaving, though, the students took about 10,000 pictures of themselves, the island, the ocean, themselves again, the teachers, a rock by the beach and many, many more. (Perhaps the only thing Thais love more than karaoke is taking pictures.)
All in all, this was a very memorable experience for me and (my previous joking aside) it's a shame Jana couldn't come because she would have loved it: the setting was beautiful and students were fantastic.
Chuck's Trip
Well Chuck came to visit and he was very shocked by Bangkok, in more ways than one. He felt pretty sure that mom would not be able to handle it here. He also had intense food poisoning which he is still recovering from at home. However, we had so much fun. We hit all the main attractions in Bangkok in just two or three days. It was exhausting but fun. Then, Chuck and I went down the Phuket which is the southern most province in Thailand. We hit several islands: Khai, Phi Phi Don, Monkey, and Maya Bay. We were able to do some snorkeling and got some good pictures of fish. (They will not be on the website because I only have hard copies) Overall the trip was great and I was so happy to have him here. Although when he left I became very home sick. The pictures while he was here are amazing, because their camera is a lot better than ours. So check out the ones from the snake farm and floating market.
I think that is pretty much the update for now. We are leaving for Phuket in about 5 days so more pictures will be going up soon.
We miss everybody,
Sean and Jana
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Chiang Mai
We just got back from our first extended vacation. We chose Chiang Mai, because it is what many Thai people consider home. Chiang Mai is in the Northern part of Thailand about 10 hours by bus. It is the second largest city in Thailand, but we have discovered in many ways it is much more pleasant than BKK. Our first impressions proved to be true that it was cleaner, cheaper, and less crowded.
Day 1
We decided for our first day we would do a walking tour of the city. We found it in our favorite book Lonely Planet. All sights are well documented in the photos under Chiang Mai Day 1. I would say there were four highlights.
Wat Chedi Luang had monks, that were preserved in glass cases. It was unbelievable, truely. Sean thought they were real, I knew they were not real people, but I could not believe they were preserved bodies. Still it is a bit of mystery to us. The Thai people seemed as intrigued by it as we did.
Another highligt was the women's correctional faciltiy. You could get a massage there for about 4 dollars US. The money goes to the women when they are released. We did not get a massages there, but maybe next time.
The third highlight would be the water blessing. The video of this is below. You can see it step by step, raising the water up to be dumped on the Chedi as a form of blessing.
The last highlight was dinner. We ate a restaurant called House, they had the most delicious tapas and homemade bread. The setting was also quite beautiful, as there were flowers everywhere.
Day 2 Trecking Chiang Mai
This day was our biggest challenge, physically. First we hiked up a mountain to see a tribal group there known as Mhonk people. Their tribe has had many changes throughout the years. They used to be a wealthy people because they harvested and produced opium. The men during this time also did little work and had many wives. Today the men do most of the work, and the women stay home. They now harvest vegetables to sell and are quite poor. The child below is my favorite, as she was the one misbehaving.
Next, it was to an elephant ride. This elephant ride was SO much more intense than the other one we did. I was telling the elephant I would buy it a banana if it would be good, which it would not. It was younger and somewhat not following what the elephant trainer was telling it to do. At one point we were wrapped around a tree, and I just had to close my eyes and hope for the best.
After elephants was a delicious lunch, and then the Karen Tribe people. These people are known for their weavings, and usually make scarfs and pajamas. Great pictures of this as well.
The last adventure was to hike to a waterfall and then go on a raft ride. The waterfall was incredible and the raft was straight out of Huck Finn, something I could have made myself. There are no pictures of this because we did not want to take the camera for fear of it getting wet, which proved to be a good decision. The man steering the raft behind us kept claiming, "No wet, no fun" So he succeeded in getting Sean and I soaked. Then, we talked him in to letting us go down this waterfall part, that they usually dont let tourist go down. It was great.
The highlight of this day was actually an American that was on the tour. I mean he really left the whole group with a memorable expression. The group consisted of two French girls, two Thai girls, a couple from Japan, and a couple from China, and then the three Americans (sean, myself, and "the guy")
Well first off, once he started talking he never stopped, literally never. Second, he asked more questions than any small child I have ever met. He would ask things like what's that made out of? Why do they do that? How old was she when she learned to do that? Does she like doing that? What does that mean? Our guide handled it pretty well for a while, and then he just started pretending like he didnt know what he was saying.
Also, it took him about thirty minutes longer than everyone else to get up the mountain, and the spectacle he made when he got up the mountain left the two French girls with looks of horror on their faces. All in all a pretty standard performance for an American, at least the ones we have met here.
Day 3 Doi Suthep is a Wat on the mountain that leaves a stunning view of Chiang Mai. I will say the trip up the mountain, in the back of this truck left Sean and I feeling very motion sick. It was well worth it, but those of you coming to visit (Chuck, Alicia, Kylie, Shannon, Mom, John) we will not be going up with you, you are on your own. There is no way I would do that to myself again.
Puphing Palace This is the Royal Winter Palace. It was very beautiful, but even further up the mountain than the temple. There were beautiful flowers, fountains, and houses.
Wat U Mong. The last one we say was Wat U Mong. This is known has a forest wat, surrounded by trees and a small lake. Also, the Buddha is inside a cave, which was pretty cool. The pictures did not turn out so good.
Chiang Mai was wonderful, and we were extremely tired when we got back. There is still so much to see there, even though we filled everyday with as many activities as possible. It was a very great place to spend the New Year. Happy New Year!!!
Sean and Jana
Day 1
We decided for our first day we would do a walking tour of the city. We found it in our favorite book Lonely Planet. All sights are well documented in the photos under Chiang Mai Day 1. I would say there were four highlights.
Wat Chedi Luang had monks, that were preserved in glass cases. It was unbelievable, truely. Sean thought they were real, I knew they were not real people, but I could not believe they were preserved bodies. Still it is a bit of mystery to us. The Thai people seemed as intrigued by it as we did.
Another highligt was the women's correctional faciltiy. You could get a massage there for about 4 dollars US. The money goes to the women when they are released. We did not get a massages there, but maybe next time.
The third highlight would be the water blessing. The video of this is below. You can see it step by step, raising the water up to be dumped on the Chedi as a form of blessing.
The last highlight was dinner. We ate a restaurant called House, they had the most delicious tapas and homemade bread. The setting was also quite beautiful, as there were flowers everywhere.
Day 2 Trecking Chiang Mai
This day was our biggest challenge, physically. First we hiked up a mountain to see a tribal group there known as Mhonk people. Their tribe has had many changes throughout the years. They used to be a wealthy people because they harvested and produced opium. The men during this time also did little work and had many wives. Today the men do most of the work, and the women stay home. They now harvest vegetables to sell and are quite poor. The child below is my favorite, as she was the one misbehaving.
Next, it was to an elephant ride. This elephant ride was SO much more intense than the other one we did. I was telling the elephant I would buy it a banana if it would be good, which it would not. It was younger and somewhat not following what the elephant trainer was telling it to do. At one point we were wrapped around a tree, and I just had to close my eyes and hope for the best.
After elephants was a delicious lunch, and then the Karen Tribe people. These people are known for their weavings, and usually make scarfs and pajamas. Great pictures of this as well.
The last adventure was to hike to a waterfall and then go on a raft ride. The waterfall was incredible and the raft was straight out of Huck Finn, something I could have made myself. There are no pictures of this because we did not want to take the camera for fear of it getting wet, which proved to be a good decision. The man steering the raft behind us kept claiming, "No wet, no fun" So he succeeded in getting Sean and I soaked. Then, we talked him in to letting us go down this waterfall part, that they usually dont let tourist go down. It was great.
The highlight of this day was actually an American that was on the tour. I mean he really left the whole group with a memorable expression. The group consisted of two French girls, two Thai girls, a couple from Japan, and a couple from China, and then the three Americans (sean, myself, and "the guy")
Well first off, once he started talking he never stopped, literally never. Second, he asked more questions than any small child I have ever met. He would ask things like what's that made out of? Why do they do that? How old was she when she learned to do that? Does she like doing that? What does that mean? Our guide handled it pretty well for a while, and then he just started pretending like he didnt know what he was saying.
Also, it took him about thirty minutes longer than everyone else to get up the mountain, and the spectacle he made when he got up the mountain left the two French girls with looks of horror on their faces. All in all a pretty standard performance for an American, at least the ones we have met here.
Day 3 Doi Suthep is a Wat on the mountain that leaves a stunning view of Chiang Mai. I will say the trip up the mountain, in the back of this truck left Sean and I feeling very motion sick. It was well worth it, but those of you coming to visit (Chuck, Alicia, Kylie, Shannon, Mom, John) we will not be going up with you, you are on your own. There is no way I would do that to myself again.
Puphing Palace This is the Royal Winter Palace. It was very beautiful, but even further up the mountain than the temple. There were beautiful flowers, fountains, and houses.
Wat U Mong. The last one we say was Wat U Mong. This is known has a forest wat, surrounded by trees and a small lake. Also, the Buddha is inside a cave, which was pretty cool. The pictures did not turn out so good.
Chiang Mai was wonderful, and we were extremely tired when we got back. There is still so much to see there, even though we filled everyday with as many activities as possible. It was a very great place to spend the New Year. Happy New Year!!!
Sean and Jana
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