Thursday, 11 February 2010
Tuk Tuks, Planes and Rattle Trap Buses - Pai, Thailand
We've arrived in what feels like the Salt Spring Island of Thailand. It's a little hippy village in the Northwest of Thailand. It took 4 hours of tight switch backs up mountains in a rattly old bus from Chiang Mai to arrive, but we're glad we persevered. It's called Pai and there are signs everywhere that say "I (heart) Pai" and Mark keeps chuckling as he sees the dirty side. Cheeky.
We found a sweet little cabin for $30 off the main road that is a definite improvement from our stinking hot hostel room in Phuket town. It is downright swank in comparison! We can't wait to explore and have already booked a thai cooking class with "Mr T" tomorrow. It's called "Wok with Tee" so we couldn't resist (Sadie, Erin and Gail will appreciate).
After our time in the treehouse in Koh Phi Phi, we moved on to Koh Lanta. We decided to skip Krabi and head to Ko Lanta in hopes of getting a little off the well-worn route. If Koh Phi Phi was relaxing, Ko Lanta was catatonic. It was pure bliss to sit in a cabana sipping Singhas and watch the most beautiful turquoise water roll up on the long, white beach. Originally, we went to Koh Lanta because we wanted to stay in this place called Sanctuary that was recommended by Lonely Planet. Unfortunately, they were so laid back that they didn't answer emails or phone calls so we ended up booking a bungalow down the beach. It was somewhat spartan (the bathroom looked like a cement jail cell) so I took to calling the bathroom "the Gaol" I am reading Stieg Larsson's Swedish mystery right now so it seemed appropriate. Also, did you know it's possible to flush a toilet by dumping a bucket of water down it? Yessiree, Mark and I figured it out when there was no lever in site.
Anyways, enough about toilets, onto Katoys (again, I know). There were three highlights in Koh Lanta:
1. We had the best seafood BBQ restaurant on the beach right in front of LD Bungalows (our place) called Thai Cat. The staff were so cheerful and Mark and I shared a delicious whole grouper with rice, salad, BBQd corn and Singhas. It was delicious.
2. Both evenings around sunset, we played beach volleyball with an eclectic mix of locals and tourists. Three of the best players happen to be girl-boys. I use both because they had manly faces yet full breasts and they could squeal with the best girly girls! These girls had some serious game and I had a blast playing with them. Mo and Nat were my new buddies and we challenged the boys to a game. We lost by a hair but there was lots of flirting and joking going around. Such a laugh. I don't understand Thai, but I did hear one of the girls use the word Katoy whilst referring to herself. I think my new friends were part of this elusive thai club- but definitely not as convincing as the ones we saw in Patong, Phuket.
3. Yoga on the beach. Both mornings, Mark and I walked 25 minutes down the beach to the Sancturay and did a Ashtanga class. It was gorgeous with the view of the ocean and a slight breeze. I would have bee in heaven if it wasn't for the sound of Mark's heavy panting as he worked that downward dog.
Have to run! Mr T invited us for dinner tonight since his class made too much food. Hope they are good students.
Bisous,
Sx
We found a sweet little cabin for $30 off the main road that is a definite improvement from our stinking hot hostel room in Phuket town. It is downright swank in comparison! We can't wait to explore and have already booked a thai cooking class with "Mr T" tomorrow. It's called "Wok with Tee" so we couldn't resist (Sadie, Erin and Gail will appreciate).
After our time in the treehouse in Koh Phi Phi, we moved on to Koh Lanta. We decided to skip Krabi and head to Ko Lanta in hopes of getting a little off the well-worn route. If Koh Phi Phi was relaxing, Ko Lanta was catatonic. It was pure bliss to sit in a cabana sipping Singhas and watch the most beautiful turquoise water roll up on the long, white beach. Originally, we went to Koh Lanta because we wanted to stay in this place called Sanctuary that was recommended by Lonely Planet. Unfortunately, they were so laid back that they didn't answer emails or phone calls so we ended up booking a bungalow down the beach. It was somewhat spartan (the bathroom looked like a cement jail cell) so I took to calling the bathroom "the Gaol" I am reading Stieg Larsson's Swedish mystery right now so it seemed appropriate. Also, did you know it's possible to flush a toilet by dumping a bucket of water down it? Yessiree, Mark and I figured it out when there was no lever in site.
Anyways, enough about toilets, onto Katoys (again, I know). There were three highlights in Koh Lanta:
1. We had the best seafood BBQ restaurant on the beach right in front of LD Bungalows (our place) called Thai Cat. The staff were so cheerful and Mark and I shared a delicious whole grouper with rice, salad, BBQd corn and Singhas. It was delicious.
2. Both evenings around sunset, we played beach volleyball with an eclectic mix of locals and tourists. Three of the best players happen to be girl-boys. I use both because they had manly faces yet full breasts and they could squeal with the best girly girls! These girls had some serious game and I had a blast playing with them. Mo and Nat were my new buddies and we challenged the boys to a game. We lost by a hair but there was lots of flirting and joking going around. Such a laugh. I don't understand Thai, but I did hear one of the girls use the word Katoy whilst referring to herself. I think my new friends were part of this elusive thai club- but definitely not as convincing as the ones we saw in Patong, Phuket.
3. Yoga on the beach. Both mornings, Mark and I walked 25 minutes down the beach to the Sancturay and did a Ashtanga class. It was gorgeous with the view of the ocean and a slight breeze. I would have bee in heaven if it wasn't for the sound of Mark's heavy panting as he worked that downward dog.
Have to run! Mr T invited us for dinner tonight since his class made too much food. Hope they are good students.
Bisous,
Sx
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Saturday, 6 February 2010
From Cheese to the Real Deal
Sawat-dee-ka!
We are in Koh Phi Phi...feels a bit like taking a big exhale after a 2 hour yoga class. Pure relaxation. It looks exactly like the post card... warm azure waters and white sand beaches. We are staying at the Viking Nature Resort which looks like a cross between Bungalows and tree houses set in a forest with an Andaman sea view. I almost feel like I'm at Shoal Lake when navigating the path and stepping over roots and rocks to get to our place. It's also run on a generator so lights go off at 11PM and our flash lights (torches) have come in handy.
We are staying just off the main port of Koh Phi Phi (short boat trip away) and some of the trees are quite mature. I'm not sure if we are on part of the island that wasn't in line of the tsunami, but that is my guess. If not, these trees must have some seriously strong roots. The place we are staying is really laid back and as I'm sitting here typing, there are boats going by in the bay and Mark is sipping a Singha beer in his swim suit. There are quite a few European families here on holiday and one little thai boy that lives here seems to be quite a hit among the kids. He must be about 4 and his shorts are always yanked way up above his navel. He seems to run the place and all the little kids follow him around and imitate him. He's right at home and is always sitting with various families and chowing on ice cream. I think it's amazing how kids don't need language to play and have a great time.
The people on Phi Phi seemed to be more relaxed than Phuket and Bangkok. The hotel has some English staff as well as a mixture of thais. For some reason, many of the thai staff here at the hotel seem to be of undefinable gender. Mark has invented a new pronown for addressing them : "hisher" Kinda flows and definitely works. One of them in particular has quite manly features yet has the most feminine walk (move over Giselle Bundchen), full (and prominent!) breasts and long hair. They look nothing like some of the people we saw in Bangkok and Phuket who were also along the blurred gender lines. The ones we saw in the city were for the most part gorgeous and so feminine. I had to stop and stare because they made beautiful women.
Time to sign out. We're going on a snorkeling trip tomorrow. I will try and post pictures before we head off to Koh Lanta or Krabi on Monday.
We are in Koh Phi Phi...feels a bit like taking a big exhale after a 2 hour yoga class. Pure relaxation. It looks exactly like the post card... warm azure waters and white sand beaches. We are staying at the Viking Nature Resort which looks like a cross between Bungalows and tree houses set in a forest with an Andaman sea view. I almost feel like I'm at Shoal Lake when navigating the path and stepping over roots and rocks to get to our place. It's also run on a generator so lights go off at 11PM and our flash lights (torches) have come in handy.
We are staying just off the main port of Koh Phi Phi (short boat trip away) and some of the trees are quite mature. I'm not sure if we are on part of the island that wasn't in line of the tsunami, but that is my guess. If not, these trees must have some seriously strong roots. The place we are staying is really laid back and as I'm sitting here typing, there are boats going by in the bay and Mark is sipping a Singha beer in his swim suit. There are quite a few European families here on holiday and one little thai boy that lives here seems to be quite a hit among the kids. He must be about 4 and his shorts are always yanked way up above his navel. He seems to run the place and all the little kids follow him around and imitate him. He's right at home and is always sitting with various families and chowing on ice cream. I think it's amazing how kids don't need language to play and have a great time.
The people on Phi Phi seemed to be more relaxed than Phuket and Bangkok. The hotel has some English staff as well as a mixture of thais. For some reason, many of the thai staff here at the hotel seem to be of undefinable gender. Mark has invented a new pronown for addressing them : "hisher" Kinda flows and definitely works. One of them in particular has quite manly features yet has the most feminine walk (move over Giselle Bundchen), full (and prominent!) breasts and long hair. They look nothing like some of the people we saw in Bangkok and Phuket who were also along the blurred gender lines. The ones we saw in the city were for the most part gorgeous and so feminine. I had to stop and stare because they made beautiful women.
Time to sign out. We're going on a snorkeling trip tomorrow. I will try and post pictures before we head off to Koh Lanta or Krabi on Monday.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Monday, 1 February 2010
The Arrival- Bangkok- 1-4 Feb
We've arrived - and in what style!
After 7 hours being jostled by a guy with sharper elbows than Lindsay Rowe in a tight corner of a hockey rink, we arrived in Dubai. Sadly, we only had 2.5 hours in Dubai. This was enough time to take in some botanical gardens, waterfalls (yes, in a desert airport) and every American fast food chain you could think of. We could easily have been in Florida with the Burger Kings, Dunkin Donuts and all the other familiar names- if it weren't for the Arabic writing beside the familiar logos. However, the tides did change when we checked in for our second leg of the journey. The lovely red lipped ladies from Emirates upgraded our seats to Business class and we were like two kids in a candy shop for the next 6 hours. Bubbly, a la carte menus and beds that fold out. Mark kept trying out all the gadgets and peeking over so I could ooh and ahh...including the massage function in his chair and the ability to move up and down, up and down...did I mention we were kids?
We arrived in Bangkok and thanks to Uncle Dick and Auntie Elaine, we had brilliant directions on how to get to our hotel in Koh San.
Top Observations so far:
-Tukstuks are fun...for 10 minutes. NEVER get in a traffic jam for 1.25 hours in a Tuktuk behind a belching bus.
-Thais are the most friendly people. Everyone carries around a pen and gives directions, and marks up your map for you. They will also flag down cabs or tuktuks for you. Funny how we always seem to get a good fare and then end up in a tailor shop, travel agent...etc. We haven't quite figured this out yet, but we're enjoying the chats and circuitous city tours.
- My favourite bar name in the Night market? Thigh bar. Doesn't it just make you want to take a nibble? We definitely saw a few western men partaking...
-Pad thai from street vendors for a dollar. We think we are in heaven.
-Thais like candid shots of their royalty. Posing doesn't seem to be the way to go. They seem to prefer their king gazing into the distance or caught mid-sentence. It's kind of refreshing yet humorous when blown up to massive proportions and posted in the middle of a boulevard.
-People in the night market really like the game of Ping Pong (think dirty on this one, moms, we'll explain later)
-Who is this Budha guy? He features well in all parts of the city, looks really good at a 45 foot height and he has a nice tummy.
Today, we plan to walk down one of the many canals and hopefully rent a river boat so we can get a better view of how people live on the canals. We also want to see the Royal palace and get our first massage - of many.
Hope everyone is well and we hope to post pictures soon. Send us an email!
Over & Out,
Sara & Mark
p.s. I woke up to Mark doing a TRX workout in the room today in his undies and runners. He is a GRINDER!
After 7 hours being jostled by a guy with sharper elbows than Lindsay Rowe in a tight corner of a hockey rink, we arrived in Dubai. Sadly, we only had 2.5 hours in Dubai. This was enough time to take in some botanical gardens, waterfalls (yes, in a desert airport) and every American fast food chain you could think of. We could easily have been in Florida with the Burger Kings, Dunkin Donuts and all the other familiar names- if it weren't for the Arabic writing beside the familiar logos. However, the tides did change when we checked in for our second leg of the journey. The lovely red lipped ladies from Emirates upgraded our seats to Business class and we were like two kids in a candy shop for the next 6 hours. Bubbly, a la carte menus and beds that fold out. Mark kept trying out all the gadgets and peeking over so I could ooh and ahh...including the massage function in his chair and the ability to move up and down, up and down...did I mention we were kids?
We arrived in Bangkok and thanks to Uncle Dick and Auntie Elaine, we had brilliant directions on how to get to our hotel in Koh San.
Top Observations so far:
-Tukstuks are fun...for 10 minutes. NEVER get in a traffic jam for 1.25 hours in a Tuktuk behind a belching bus.
-Thais are the most friendly people. Everyone carries around a pen and gives directions, and marks up your map for you. They will also flag down cabs or tuktuks for you. Funny how we always seem to get a good fare and then end up in a tailor shop, travel agent...etc. We haven't quite figured this out yet, but we're enjoying the chats and circuitous city tours.
- My favourite bar name in the Night market? Thigh bar. Doesn't it just make you want to take a nibble? We definitely saw a few western men partaking...
-Pad thai from street vendors for a dollar. We think we are in heaven.
-Thais like candid shots of their royalty. Posing doesn't seem to be the way to go. They seem to prefer their king gazing into the distance or caught mid-sentence. It's kind of refreshing yet humorous when blown up to massive proportions and posted in the middle of a boulevard.
-People in the night market really like the game of Ping Pong (think dirty on this one, moms, we'll explain later)
-Who is this Budha guy? He features well in all parts of the city, looks really good at a 45 foot height and he has a nice tummy.
Today, we plan to walk down one of the many canals and hopefully rent a river boat so we can get a better view of how people live on the canals. We also want to see the Royal palace and get our first massage - of many.
Hope everyone is well and we hope to post pictures soon. Send us an email!
Over & Out,
Sara & Mark
p.s. I woke up to Mark doing a TRX workout in the room today in his undies and runners. He is a GRINDER!
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
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