Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Baby Tiger!
Im at an Internet Cafe in Bangkok right now near the condo we are staying at...Taams aunt has kindly let us use her city condo for our stay in BKK!
let me tell you about last night first...
New Friends:
I made a friend on the Ferry last afternoon on the ferry from phi-phi to phuket.
He was the information guide on the boat...and so i decided to talk him up to try my thai...
.dangit...my time is running out...im gonna have to update you more later...
but last night I got to feed a baby tiger!
more to come...
let me tell you about last night first...
New Friends:
I made a friend on the Ferry last afternoon on the ferry from phi-phi to phuket.
He was the information guide on the boat...and so i decided to talk him up to try my thai...
.dangit...my time is running out...im gonna have to update you more later...
but last night I got to feed a baby tiger!
more to come...
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Bye Bye Phi Phi
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...parting waysdamn...how many steps!?
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Last night we met up with our travel friends Mike and Serena for a last bite and drink on the island. We went to "Tiger Bar" and had some cheap good thai street food. I have pictures of gail pole dancing...but im not allowed to post them up...dont worry..ill put them up on my blackmail picture site.
Island Hike
Today we decided to hike up to the top of phi-phi island following the tsunami evacuation route, and onto some trails that lead to a couple viewpoints at the top of the island. It was a freaking climb...but it was well worth it. we chatted up the store owner at the top of the viewpoint...nice weathered old man who spoke english well...he pointed out there was a trail that lead farther up where no tourists usually go...so we did...it was amazing...there was a really rustic lookout point and a small pop-and-son cafe where we got a soda...and had some free bananas!
Labels: travel thailand
Monday, January 01, 2007
Island Fever...
what a great day swimmin, snorkeling, and exploring...
pictures are definitely worth a thousand words now that Im at a place that can upload....
Labels: travel thailand
New Years Eve...Thailand Safety
i gave this kid my new years drum trinket the hotel gave us...made his day...
Hi All,
you must have heard about the bangkok bombings by now in the news....I am safe and sound here on Phi Phi Island...in Southern thailand....i dont get to bangkok for another two days.
The Phi-Phi islanders, locals - expats - and tourists alike, seem blissfully unaware...i think I just happen to read cnn.com whenever i get online...so I was up to date on the bangkok bombings.
I like to think im a safe traveller..so try not to worry about me...but thanks for your thoughts and concerns!...Our friend Taam is a bangkok local and we will be in good hands...and my travel style is to avoid the major touristy things...I try to have an immersive experience, living in bangkok as much like a local as I can.
How I spent new years eve...
There was definitely partying and drunkeness in the village streets...but we sought out something different. We spoke to the locals and the folks that work on the island..and found the best mellow, chill spot to ring in the new year. There is this charming beach bar called "sunflower bar" on the farside of the island...they were playing reggae music and there were beach lounges, thai pillows, banigs and mats...to sit on the beach...have drinks...and watch some low flying fireworks over the bay. ..the moon hung right over the center of the bay..and the fireworks were so close (i dont think safety was the first concern...but it was neat!)
when the countdown happened we toasted the folks around us...and just soaked up the good vibes. i spent some time texting someone special in my life, who I wish was there with me for that moment...but for now its a moment deferred...something to come home to :)
We're going to meet some of our new friends and rent a long tail boat to go exploring, swimming, and snorkeling...I wanna check out monkey beach and hopefully get in touch with my inner monkey.
SAWATDEE PI MAI KRUP! (Happy New Year!)
you must have heard about the bangkok bombings by now in the news....I am safe and sound here on Phi Phi Island...in Southern thailand....i dont get to bangkok for another two days.
The Phi-Phi islanders, locals - expats - and tourists alike, seem blissfully unaware...i think I just happen to read cnn.com whenever i get online...so I was up to date on the bangkok bombings.
I like to think im a safe traveller..so try not to worry about me...but thanks for your thoughts and concerns!...Our friend Taam is a bangkok local and we will be in good hands...and my travel style is to avoid the major touristy things...I try to have an immersive experience, living in bangkok as much like a local as I can.
How I spent new years eve...
There was definitely partying and drunkeness in the village streets...but we sought out something different. We spoke to the locals and the folks that work on the island..and found the best mellow, chill spot to ring in the new year. There is this charming beach bar called "sunflower bar" on the farside of the island...they were playing reggae music and there were beach lounges, thai pillows, banigs and mats...to sit on the beach...have drinks...and watch some low flying fireworks over the bay. ..the moon hung right over the center of the bay..and the fireworks were so close (i dont think safety was the first concern...but it was neat!)
when the countdown happened we toasted the folks around us...and just soaked up the good vibes. i spent some time texting someone special in my life, who I wish was there with me for that moment...but for now its a moment deferred...something to come home to :)
We're going to meet some of our new friends and rent a long tail boat to go exploring, swimming, and snorkeling...I wanna check out monkey beach and hopefully get in touch with my inner monkey.
SAWATDEE PI MAI KRUP! (Happy New Year!)
Labels: travel thailand
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Thailand Day 5 Phi-Phi Island..SHARKS! New Years eve
Local time is 16:58...im at a internet cafe on phi-phi island in the phi-phi don village.
phi-phi don and phi-phi ley are the two main islands here. Phi-phi ley was where "the beach" with Leo D was filmed.
I recently got back from a dive trip.....it was amazing...diving around these small islands...
Highlight was seeing two Leopard sharks! so close...i could have touched them. Leopard sharks arent people eaters...but if you bug em...they'll get mad...so i tried not to make them mad. And I did find nemo...in his home in the coral. I guess im up to 12 dives in my lifetime now...not bad.
Im actually still feeling the motion effects of scuba as im staring at this screen. We met some cool folks on this dive and throughout this trip....meeting international and local "small world" folks is half the fun of these travel adventurs. We met mike and serana on the dive boat...nurses from seattle on a long walkabout...they've been travelling for months now. We plan to hang out with them tommorow...and rent a local "long tail boat"( traditional island boats modified with an engine and propeller on a long tail) and tour / snorkel the islands around here on our own.
We learned a lot about the effects / after-effects of the tsunami 2 years ago talking with the dive shop owner, nick. its amazing to hear what was here before and is now gone....and how so much has already been rebuilt...and the plans for development. There is some construction / reconstruction going on here.
Its an international community here on phi phi island...lotta folks fell in love with the place and set up shops and restaurants here. were meeting a lot of ausies, sweedes, dutch...a whole bunch of other europeans...japanese....but theres very few americans...it sucks that americans arent too popular these days....I tell people Im Californian...and that seems to make me a little cooler.
There are so many of these little internet cafes in this little pedestrian town...right now there are a bunch of kids around me (probably the local kids /family of the owner). Theres this little girl using my chair as one of her parallel bars...i guess shes bored cuz her brothers/playmates are busy playing some games...looks like bubble bobble.
Getting here on the ferry yesterday was pretty fun...the ferry took a little tour before going to the pier. The pier here is so tiny...that the boats dock side by side...and you have to climb over / through other boats to finally get to the pier. I made friends with the porter who took our bags to the bungalow from the pier...he was a funny guy....we explored the village and island a bit and lounged out at a little beach side bar....in a fun little cabana/hut. everything here is a little more "raw" no polish like hawaii...all feels very real.
this little girl here is really interested in what im typing...i wonder if she can read this ...her brother is playing a game next to me and is dismissing her when she seems to want attention...2 cute.
anyways..its new years eve tonight...so im gonna rest up...for some partying... more details...tommorow ...maybe ;)
phi-phi don and phi-phi ley are the two main islands here. Phi-phi ley was where "the beach" with Leo D was filmed.
I recently got back from a dive trip.....it was amazing...diving around these small islands...
Highlight was seeing two Leopard sharks! so close...i could have touched them. Leopard sharks arent people eaters...but if you bug em...they'll get mad...so i tried not to make them mad. And I did find nemo...in his home in the coral. I guess im up to 12 dives in my lifetime now...not bad.
Im actually still feeling the motion effects of scuba as im staring at this screen. We met some cool folks on this dive and throughout this trip....meeting international and local "small world" folks is half the fun of these travel adventurs. We met mike and serana on the dive boat...nurses from seattle on a long walkabout...they've been travelling for months now. We plan to hang out with them tommorow...and rent a local "long tail boat"( traditional island boats modified with an engine and propeller on a long tail) and tour / snorkel the islands around here on our own.
We learned a lot about the effects / after-effects of the tsunami 2 years ago talking with the dive shop owner, nick. its amazing to hear what was here before and is now gone....and how so much has already been rebuilt...and the plans for development. There is some construction / reconstruction going on here.
Its an international community here on phi phi island...lotta folks fell in love with the place and set up shops and restaurants here. were meeting a lot of ausies, sweedes, dutch...a whole bunch of other europeans...japanese....but theres very few americans...it sucks that americans arent too popular these days....I tell people Im Californian...and that seems to make me a little cooler.
There are so many of these little internet cafes in this little pedestrian town...right now there are a bunch of kids around me (probably the local kids /family of the owner). Theres this little girl using my chair as one of her parallel bars...i guess shes bored cuz her brothers/playmates are busy playing some games...looks like bubble bobble.
Getting here on the ferry yesterday was pretty fun...the ferry took a little tour before going to the pier. The pier here is so tiny...that the boats dock side by side...and you have to climb over / through other boats to finally get to the pier. I made friends with the porter who took our bags to the bungalow from the pier...he was a funny guy....we explored the village and island a bit and lounged out at a little beach side bar....in a fun little cabana/hut. everything here is a little more "raw" no polish like hawaii...all feels very real.
this little girl here is really interested in what im typing...i wonder if she can read this ...her brother is playing a game next to me and is dismissing her when she seems to want attention...2 cute.
anyways..its new years eve tonight...so im gonna rest up...for some partying... more details...tommorow ...maybe ;)
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