From the time that I got my own hotel room in Dalat after being sick for about 5 or 6 days straight and sleeping through almost everything, I had two relatively peaceful days of healing and slowly but surely making my way out of my hotel room. Mama and Papa headed back home on the tour bus, and Claude and I stayed in Dalat another two days so I could actually experience what the place had to offer, with energy and awakeness.
We spent one of those days (April 15th or 16th? I don`t even know anymore) renting bicycles and riding them down and then up a beautiful country hill to the local Pagoda/Temple where a very important Monk lives, and explored the terrain all around, and had a nice lunch by the riverside. This was my first day really moving or getting any exercise in a week! It felt so good! And the views were lovely. When we came back into town we rode around for another 2 hours searching for this other Pagoda, which, once we found it around 6pm, turned out it was closed. That night we wandered around the Dalat night market, and I suddenly began to feel myself returning. It felt good!
I was eating again, too! Also, I had found a restaurant I knew I could trust- The Peace Restaurant, run by a sweet Vietnamese lady name Tu Anh, and she was very proud of her food (and also helped me find a Vietnamese SIM card for my new Android after breakfast one morning). I had dinner there one night with Claude, and had breakfast there the rest of my time in Dalat. Up until now, I had been eating strictly traditional Vietnamese food, or, in Thailand, strictly Thai food, but after being sick for so long, I realized I needed to just bite the bullet and eat what seemed appetizing. Omelets with bacon for breakfast it was!!! Hooray!
The next day we took a bus (a short ride this time) to Nha Trang, the first beach town that I had basically missed while sick, and spent two days there. We spent our first day riding our bicycles to an AWESOME Mud Bath and Hot Springs spa place, where we bathed in Mud (as suggested by title just now), as well as Mineral Baths, as well as Waterfalls, and getting massages. This whole afternoon of pampering- $12.50USD!! We finished the lovely afternoon with dinner on a floating restaurant, and then rode our bicycles back to town. I made arrangements for the next day to complete my Advanced Scuba Certification, which I did! Two dives in the morning completed with a lunch with a big group of Russians, who, when I told them I didn`t drink said 'Sorry- Russian Tradition!!' That night, the final dive- a night dive! I went with Giup, my dive instructor from the morning, and we walked into the ocean with all of our gear. There was a crowd of Vietnamese onlookers, and from their faces you would think we were flying to outer space! One person asked me where I was from, and then before I made my way toward the water, stated with awe and meekness "Ha-have a good trip!" referring to our journey into the deep dark ocean. It was kind of a neat feeling, really. I was terrified during our 1-hour night dive, I must confess, but I did it! We saw many night creatures, and Giup caught a little lobster to take home, as well as some other fish, with his bare hands!
That same night, Claude and I made our way to the train to move on to Danang, a city further north of where we were, and I had my first sleeper train experience since I have been in SE Asia, and, for that matter- ever! It was really cool! We shared a cabin with 4 other people, in 3 layers of bed platforms. Claude and I were on the 3rd level, and I fell asleep within the first 10 minutes around midnight, and didn`t wake up until 9am. We had another hour and a half or so after waking to just watch the scenery go by. I also had a breakfast of chicken and eggs and rice that was brought through on a cart by a Vietnamese pair.
I discovered by reading my guidebook on this morning that there was a very desireable tourist destination about 1 hour from Danang called Hoi An, and, decided that the following day I would rent a motorbike and do a 24-hour solo trip, since Claude had already been there and isn`t as into the touristy stuff. What can I say- I`m a tourist!
But first, we found a hotel on the river in Danang, and a place to rent a motorbike. When we found the bike that I would take the next day to Hoi An, we decided to take it first to China Beach, a beach just 20km or so from Danang, and halfway to Hoi An. We decided that I should drive it this time, since I was going to be on my own with the bike the next day. I ride a motorbike in Boulder and have for the past 2 years, but, it is automatic! This bike is manual, and also pretty cheapy cheap and not always the smoothest! Anyhow, we wound driving all the way to Hoi An afterall to scope out the scene there. Hoi An is an incredibly quiant and sweet tourist town, historic and charming in all of it`s buildings and decor! I couldn`t wait to come back the next day!
On our way back to Danang, we stopped at China Beach. It was SO big and BEAUTIFUL, it is an ocean scene that I haven`t seen in ages, the kind that is infinite and endless and it is difficult to tell where the horizon begins and the waves end. Vietnamese families and friends and boys were all over the beach as the sun was going down, until we were walking on the beach in the dark. The tide was going out, and the waves seemed to go on forever and we could still see people only knee deep what seeemed incredibly far away. Fisherman collecting their nets and cages, and boys playing soccer and volleyball- all in a foggy darkness that had some serious magic going on for it.
The next morning, I had a good breakfast and got on my way. Dropped Claude off at his desired destination, and I was off! I suddenly felt much more comfortable on the bike with no passenger, realizing that half of my problem was self-consciousness, and headed back to Hoi An. I got as far as China Beach and decided to stop there for a little visit. After a little walk, I got back to my motorbike and realized I couldn`t start it. The starter button didn`t work, and it is quite difficult to jump start a motorbike in flip-flops (though the Vietnamese do it here every day). I tried for 10 minutes straight using all of my energy to stand on that damn starter pedal, with no luck. Then, of course, a huge Australian guy on a motorbike with a tiny braid running down his back wearing a big black tank top and sunglasses (and pants, of course) shows up, and calmly says `'You`re having trouble getting your bike started.`" And by then though I had been on the verge of tears for inability to even get this bike started so early on in my trip, I started laughing and said with gratitude and relief "yes, yes! I am having trouble! I need help!" And with one easy step he had the bike started.
I thanked the heroic Australian and made my way back to the road. Another 10-20km or so, I made my way to the Marble Mountains, a great place to explore halfway between Danang and Hoi Anh. At one point I made a U-turn to get to the right entryway, and made this turn right on some sandy patches and skidded into a crash. I got up with as much dignity as I could muster, and let a Vietnamese onlooker help me to get my bike started again. I drove down of the side of the road to the entry of Marble Mountain, and decided I would have some food before I began my climb. Some nice Vietnamese ladies fed me, and I was on my way again, but first I left my bag with another Vietnamese lady store owner. Trust becomes relative in these types of places- a stranger store owner becomes a `safe` place to leave my overnight bag, simply because she says 'I keep your bag for you. When you come back- you buy something.' I`m not really sure if this is contractual, but either way I know I don`t want to carry two backpacks up a mountain for possibly hours at a time on a humid and hot day!
Marble Mountain is a treasure trove of sights and climbing. It is covered in Temples, Pagodas, Shrines, Caves, and views of the ocean. One could spend a whole day on this one mountain alone, and there were four! I spent two hours climbing up and down stairs, in and out of caves full of Buddhas, Shrines, and Bats (eek!) and finding endless ways to climb and explore. After a full two hours up there, I found some peace at one final Pagoda on a chair swing, and listened to some spiritual music that was blasting throughout the mountain area.
When I returned to the bottom of the mountain, the storeowner with my bag was waiting. The bag was nowhere in sight, but she had plenty of souvenirs to show me. We had one of my aforementioned awkward bargaining matches, where I managed to get a teeny tiny marble Buddha for Claude for a `fair' price, and was on my way to Hoi An again.
I pulled into Hoi An around 4pm, found a hotel to my liking, and immediately after dropping off my stuff rented a bicycle from across the street for $1 and rode it 25 minutes away to Cua Dai beach, and I am so happy I did! It was picturesque country scenery, and upon crossing a little bridge, I watched some teenaged boys jumping off the bridge and down into the river, as well as being in the midst of people foreign and local walking, cycling, motorbiking by, as the sun began its descent.
I pulled up to the beach a bit later, and saw another gorgeous ocean scene. There were people all over the beach, a healthy mix of local and tourist. There were mats spread all over the beach and a Vietnamese lady came and offered me a menu, pointing out their special of banana-leaf wrapped Ray. I promised her I would come back to eat after a swim. I identified a few Australian guys with a teenager on the beach and asked them to watch my bag so I could swim, and had the sweetest swim in a deliciously cold ocean. I chatted with the Aussies for a bit when I got out of the water, and then met my date of a delicious Vietnamese meal. It was served on a big platter with rice paper that I used to make my own spring rolls, to dip into what turned out to be the hottest sauce I have ever tasted. Luckily, I also got the largest coconut I have ever experienced to drink, and that helped.
Now it was dark, and there were silhouettes of locals eating on mats, running and playing, and sounds of men singing together. The people who made my dinner were very sweet and hospitable, and charged me a whopping 85,000 dong, which is about $4USD.
I got back on my bike and leisurely made my way back to town. I stopped in some bookstores and traded my somewhat lame Vietnam guidebook for a much better LonelyPlanet one, and found some new memoirs for my own reading. Stopped in some shoe stores to try and find better footwear than flipflops, and was suddenly entering a discussion about having shoes MADE for me for the next day. I backed out, realizing that while that would be cool, I am trying to have as little stuff as possible, and was not quite ready to design my own unique shoe at a moment`s notice and at a relatively high price.
I was hungry again- I must be totally better! I had planned to go to a restaurant recommended in the Lonely Planet book, so I did! It was called MangoMango and also another one is there in town called the Mango Rooms. MangoMango was on the riverside, and MAN was it good! I paid much more of what I might pay in the states, but, man, it was WORTH it!! I ordered a lemongrass ginger lime mango TEA that is brewed fresh, and then the incredibly hot Vietnamese waiter brought me an appetizer that I didn`t order- a vegetable tempura with mango sauce- on the house. It was DELICIOUS! Then I got a seared tuna with mango sauce as well, and finished the meal off with a dessert of banana flambee with rum, brown sugar, and coconut sauce. I haven`t eaten like this since before leaving for SE Asia, so, it was definitely my solo-trip treat.
Slept well last night, woke up this morning, took a bicycle ride back down to mangomango for a special breakfast treat of tuna tacos on sweet potato tortillas and special tea, took some last minute photos of the town, and checked out. Got back on the motorbike, and after a few classic Rachel-Leber `'detours' (the inevitable getting lost just because that is what I do) I came back to Danang to find Claude, and we got on a 3-hour uneventful bus ride to Hue, where we are now.
Tonight, I had dinner solo while Claude met up with his Vietnamese friend, and experienced Live Traditional Vietnamese Music while eating all sorts of traditional Vietnamese Food at the Tropical Restaurant in Hue. Tasty food, excellent music, and I came back to our hotel. I`m here for another day and night, with tomorrow to explore the city of Hue with Claude. I am leaving on a train the next day for Hanoi, where I hope to experience the famous Water Puppetry Theater, and also do a 1-week epic motorbike journey exploring the Northeast and Northwest of Vietnam, before I have to leave the country on May 6th. I will have spent a whole month in Vietnam! The next blog you read will be about part or all of this epic motorbike journey and Hanoi.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh to Dalat
Ah! So, by now you have read my blog about the culture shock that was my entry into Vietnam. Now, for some fun tales of the places I have seen and the people I have met!
As you know, Claude and I arrived the evening of April 6th. Initial culture shock, learning how to cross the street, finding a hotel, and realizing that we were going to have to eat separately a lot of the time due to my carnivorous ways and his Vegan Sensibilities. We`ve done surprisingly well in that department, partially due to the fact that I am pretty good at eating on the go, and he eats much less and less frequently than me. Sometimes this looks like me getting a quick meat fix on our way to a vegetarian restaurant where I can then have my second course of some sort of vegetable, or, sometimes we will find a restaurant for me nearby a known vegetarian restaurant for him, and whoever is done eating first will come and join the other. Sometimes, Claude just sits with me while I eat my trillionth meal before lunch time. :) I have most recently acquired some almonds and cashews that I could not find until a week or so into our trip in the sweet touristy town of Dalat, which have helped ease the transition in this not-so-easy-food-finding country.
Anyhow, we spent 3 days in and around Ho Chi Minh City. The first day we rented a motorbike, and after some food in the city, Claude drove us to Go Cong, a town about an hour and a half south of Ho Chi Minh, complete with 10 minute ferry ride about 2/3rds of the way there (riding the motorbike onto the boat). We visited his Vietnamese friends there herein known as 'Mama and PaPA' and what a sweet pair they were! We knew we were going to be traveling with them in a few days time, but it seemed a good road trip to go and say a quick `hello' and share a meal. They are probably in their late 50`s or early 60`s (one of the first questions people ask you here is `how old are you?' and then it`s 'are you married?') and they, like everyone else in Vietnam ride a motorbike. The wearing of the helmets by them and everyone adds a certain element of `badassness' that I very much appreciate. They took Claude and I by motorbike down the street to the nearby market to say hi to one of their kids, and then down the street to a hair salon where their daughter lives with her husband who runs the place. After spending about two hours there, we needed to head back to the city, as we had dinner plans with Claude`s friend Mai Xuan and his wife!
We arrived about 2 hours late (goodbyes in Vietnam so far were extensive and there was always one more person to say hi to!) and after making many wrong turns (the address system here does not have a consecutve/sensical order) to a laughing Mai Xuan and company. We stayed for about 3 hours, passing around a dictionary at times to communicate with the limited English that Mai Xuan spoke, the Vietnamese that Claude speaks, and my English-only ways. It was quite fun translating and making connections through all of these limitations, and we had a fine meal.
The next day, Claude and I decided to explore the city by bicycle. Our destination was a park with a lake in the middle of the city, but this excursion definitely wound up being about the journey and not the goal. Riding a bicycle in Ho Chi Minh traffic was an ADVENTURE, and instead of being scary like I thought it might be, it was FUN! I also am grateful for my experiences as a bicycle messenger in Boston, San Francisco, and my time with the Dublin Ireland messengers, as this made me surprisingly comfortable and natural feeling in this ocean of motorbikes and the occasional car (which, while they are possibly 5-10% of traffic, are still the `big fish' in the ocean that all must yield to). We had tons of fun zooming around the streets and in and out of traffic lanes of bicycles, motorbikes and cars. Our destination served the most by providing a cool drink at a restaurant, and then we wandered the grounds which were not quite so impressive. We did, however, come upon a haunted house which we went into (my first haunted house in over 20 years I`m sure) and I was properly frightened when in pitch black darkness a hand reached out and grabbed my leg twice, and I screamed like the girly girl that I am and have become.
The previous night when we had returned from Mai Xuan`s for dinner, we wound up talking to the people that had rented us our motorbike the day before- Tui and Chieu. They were sitting with an American and a Polish couple who were staying in their hotel. We got to talking with all of them, and it turns out that the American is my Dentist from Childhood`s Nephew!! Wowsa! And, these three were doing a multi-month tour of Vietnam all from the comfort of their motorbikes that they bought for a little over $300 each in Vietnam. We got to talking with them, and it became the plan that I was going to leave with them early the next morning to go to the Annual Kite Festival, which was about 3 hours away, further out into the country.
The next morning we left around 9:30 in a posse of Vietnamese, American, and Polish motorbikers. This included Tui, Chieu, their two boys aged 11 and 14, Tui`s lady friend, Me, Andy-my-dentist`s-Nephew, and Adam and Kaya, the Polish Couple. I believe we were on 4 motorbikes, it might have been 5. It was fun! We rode to the festival over a leisurely 3 hours, first with me on the back of Tui`s (wife/mother) bike, then stopping at an awesome drink stop, where there were 10 or hammocks next to a stand serving coconuts and sugar cane drinks for about 40 cents.
When it was time to go again, Tui pointed to me that I should ride on the back of her 14 year old son`s motorbike. I dutifully did, but I see now that being dutiful often takes me out of my comfort zone and into potentially dangerous situations. On the back of this boy`s motorbike (I believe his name was Tung) I felt quite terrified. He drove in a way that expressed the difficulty of this age- erratic, impulsive, acting to impress- and it scared the crap out of me! He would accelerate unecessarily fast, and if his father`s motorbike passed us, he would make it his mission to speed to pass his father again. If there was a huge truck in front of us, instead of slowing down he would accelerate and weave his way on the wrong side of the truck to pass it through gravelly passage. I was doing everything in my power to breathe and relax but it was not working very well.
We stopped about an hour into this second section of the drive, and I ran over to Andy the American and begged 'Can you let me ride with you? I am terrified!' and so I did, and it was the calming and solid ride I was seeking. This lasted until we finally arrived at the beach, where we found a rather fancy seafood restaurant and let the Vietnamese crew order for the likes of us Caucasians. Super tasty meal, and then we walked down some stairs to the beach where some of us swam in the bathtub temperature water (`cold', according to the Dad Chieu) and then I passed out in the shade in a beach chair.
I was awoken by Chieu, it was time to go to the Kite Festival. We got there a few minutes later, and there were two large kites being flown, and then wrestled to the ground by about 10 or 15 men. It was not quite the festival I had been envisioning, but again this was a `journey is goal' type of experience, and I was happy enough to be along on this adventure. Before leaving the town, we stopped at another restaurant (yay! these are my kind of people!) and I got on the back of Andy`s bike again. We were going to follow Tui, the Mom home. But, what I didn`t realize is that Andy wasn`t watching what direction Tui went, and suddenly we had lost our only knowledgeable guide home.
Andy said not to worry (but I did anyway) that we would figure it out (and eventually we did), but there is something in that ride that completely stressed my entire body out. We didn`t get back until about 4.5 hours later, about 2.5 of those hours in the dark, and at least half the time not knowing if we were going the right way. I was crammed into a very small amount of space on the bag of Andy`s bike between him and a big bag on the back, and we had to take frequent stops to walk and stretch, our butts SO SORE and in pain! We quickly slid into delirium- especially me! Not to mention, in this nighttime highway traffic with cars honking and beeping and weaving and zigzaggin, it was all that my sensitive little system could take. When I finally got back to my hotel and stumbled up the stairs and into the room Claude and I were sharing, I could barely talk, and started crying while brushing my teeth from this bizarre feeling of pain and exhaustion throughout my entire body.
Claude was kind and practiced Thai Massage on me to help me to try and relax. It was very helpful in the moment and helped me to sleep, but nonetheless, I woke up the next day, feeling as weak as I can remember, barely able to walk, and moving at a snail`s pace. We had to pack and move out of our hotel to take a bus down to Go Cong to meet up with Mama and Papa, and I felt like I could barely move.
Somehow, we got to the bus, and Claude did anything and everything that needed doing. On the bus, crammed in with a bunch of locals until there was no pathway anymore, and a sticky heat closing in on us, with tons of people coming onto the bus to try and sell us food, I found whatever position I could no matter how uncomfortable to pass out. Unbelievably, I slept through the hottest bumpiest and loudest bus ride of about 2 hours. When we arrived in Go Cong, Papa came on motorbike and picked me up first and took me back to the house where I promptly became horizontal on their couch and in the care of Mama, while Papa went back for Claude.
The next two days I basically spent sleeping. My whole body was in pain, I didn`t want to eat, my head was pounding and there was this inexplicable pressure behind my eyes- I was a mess. That said, I would sleep for periods of about 3 hours intermittently, and be woken up either by Mama trying to get me to eat something, or by Claude urging me to get up and get out and move around. So, during this two (or was it three?) days in Go Cong, I actually had lunch over at one of Claude`s friends houses (I can`t remember his name now but he was SO sweet and laughed a lot and made fun of me for sleeping so much) and also got my haircut and chemically straightened at the salon of Mama and Papa`s son-in-law. (As soon as I did this, I realized I like the fact that I have naturally wavy hair, but, I thought it so novel to get my hair done in Vietnam for what I figured would be nominally cheap, and turned out to be free as a gift from FAMILY!!) And we visited a Pagoda in town. Any time in between these activities, I spent sleeping.
We had made plans with Mama and Papa to do a 4-day trip in the mountains and at the ocean, but Claude and I didn`t know anything about the detials of the trip. We knew we were going to Nha Trang a beach town, and Dalat a sweet mountain town, but we didn`t know exactly how or when or where we were staying. Turned out they had booked us on an overnight bus that is part of a large tour group, so on our 3rd day in Go Cong, we boarded a bus at 7:30pm with about 25 Vietnamese all going to the same towns and hotels, and didn`t arrive to our destination until 2pm the next day. This bus ride was the loudest I have ever experienced, and my condition had it so that every noise felt like an assault anyway. Vietnamese Pop music was BLASTED until 11:30pm, we had a respite until 4:30am. We stopped about every hour for the bathroom or food, and I was either sleeping or struggling to sleep. I was in hell. At 4:30am the music returned, or else tv shows were shown with the volume at a level that made the content incomprehensible due to its intense loudness.
The next day, there were two destination stops before our final destination of Nha Trang, and at one of the beaches we stopped at, instead of being able to enjoy it, I only wanted to know where I could go to lay down. Claude RENTED A HAMMOCK for me and strung it between two trees, and I fell into it and slept until 2 minutes before our bus was to leave. I think you get the picture- this is what the whole next day looked like as well, but once we spent this next night four in a hotel room with the tv blaring in there as well, I decided that the next day, when we arrived in the mountain town of Dalat, I was going to get my own hotel room, and separate myself from the whole bus tour. And that I did. Got my own room, and stayed in it for the next 24 hours, sleeping and watching 80`s movies on Vietnamese HBO. It was the greatest catharsis I have ever had. I just needed some privacy and stillness and to stop moving. And a Chris Rock movie called `Pootie Tang.' Go see that movie! :)
As you know, Claude and I arrived the evening of April 6th. Initial culture shock, learning how to cross the street, finding a hotel, and realizing that we were going to have to eat separately a lot of the time due to my carnivorous ways and his Vegan Sensibilities. We`ve done surprisingly well in that department, partially due to the fact that I am pretty good at eating on the go, and he eats much less and less frequently than me. Sometimes this looks like me getting a quick meat fix on our way to a vegetarian restaurant where I can then have my second course of some sort of vegetable, or, sometimes we will find a restaurant for me nearby a known vegetarian restaurant for him, and whoever is done eating first will come and join the other. Sometimes, Claude just sits with me while I eat my trillionth meal before lunch time. :) I have most recently acquired some almonds and cashews that I could not find until a week or so into our trip in the sweet touristy town of Dalat, which have helped ease the transition in this not-so-easy-food-finding country.
Anyhow, we spent 3 days in and around Ho Chi Minh City. The first day we rented a motorbike, and after some food in the city, Claude drove us to Go Cong, a town about an hour and a half south of Ho Chi Minh, complete with 10 minute ferry ride about 2/3rds of the way there (riding the motorbike onto the boat). We visited his Vietnamese friends there herein known as 'Mama and PaPA' and what a sweet pair they were! We knew we were going to be traveling with them in a few days time, but it seemed a good road trip to go and say a quick `hello' and share a meal. They are probably in their late 50`s or early 60`s (one of the first questions people ask you here is `how old are you?' and then it`s 'are you married?') and they, like everyone else in Vietnam ride a motorbike. The wearing of the helmets by them and everyone adds a certain element of `badassness' that I very much appreciate. They took Claude and I by motorbike down the street to the nearby market to say hi to one of their kids, and then down the street to a hair salon where their daughter lives with her husband who runs the place. After spending about two hours there, we needed to head back to the city, as we had dinner plans with Claude`s friend Mai Xuan and his wife!
We arrived about 2 hours late (goodbyes in Vietnam so far were extensive and there was always one more person to say hi to!) and after making many wrong turns (the address system here does not have a consecutve/sensical order) to a laughing Mai Xuan and company. We stayed for about 3 hours, passing around a dictionary at times to communicate with the limited English that Mai Xuan spoke, the Vietnamese that Claude speaks, and my English-only ways. It was quite fun translating and making connections through all of these limitations, and we had a fine meal.
The next day, Claude and I decided to explore the city by bicycle. Our destination was a park with a lake in the middle of the city, but this excursion definitely wound up being about the journey and not the goal. Riding a bicycle in Ho Chi Minh traffic was an ADVENTURE, and instead of being scary like I thought it might be, it was FUN! I also am grateful for my experiences as a bicycle messenger in Boston, San Francisco, and my time with the Dublin Ireland messengers, as this made me surprisingly comfortable and natural feeling in this ocean of motorbikes and the occasional car (which, while they are possibly 5-10% of traffic, are still the `big fish' in the ocean that all must yield to). We had tons of fun zooming around the streets and in and out of traffic lanes of bicycles, motorbikes and cars. Our destination served the most by providing a cool drink at a restaurant, and then we wandered the grounds which were not quite so impressive. We did, however, come upon a haunted house which we went into (my first haunted house in over 20 years I`m sure) and I was properly frightened when in pitch black darkness a hand reached out and grabbed my leg twice, and I screamed like the girly girl that I am and have become.
The previous night when we had returned from Mai Xuan`s for dinner, we wound up talking to the people that had rented us our motorbike the day before- Tui and Chieu. They were sitting with an American and a Polish couple who were staying in their hotel. We got to talking with all of them, and it turns out that the American is my Dentist from Childhood`s Nephew!! Wowsa! And, these three were doing a multi-month tour of Vietnam all from the comfort of their motorbikes that they bought for a little over $300 each in Vietnam. We got to talking with them, and it became the plan that I was going to leave with them early the next morning to go to the Annual Kite Festival, which was about 3 hours away, further out into the country.
The next morning we left around 9:30 in a posse of Vietnamese, American, and Polish motorbikers. This included Tui, Chieu, their two boys aged 11 and 14, Tui`s lady friend, Me, Andy-my-dentist`s-Nephew, and Adam and Kaya, the Polish Couple. I believe we were on 4 motorbikes, it might have been 5. It was fun! We rode to the festival over a leisurely 3 hours, first with me on the back of Tui`s (wife/mother) bike, then stopping at an awesome drink stop, where there were 10 or hammocks next to a stand serving coconuts and sugar cane drinks for about 40 cents.
When it was time to go again, Tui pointed to me that I should ride on the back of her 14 year old son`s motorbike. I dutifully did, but I see now that being dutiful often takes me out of my comfort zone and into potentially dangerous situations. On the back of this boy`s motorbike (I believe his name was Tung) I felt quite terrified. He drove in a way that expressed the difficulty of this age- erratic, impulsive, acting to impress- and it scared the crap out of me! He would accelerate unecessarily fast, and if his father`s motorbike passed us, he would make it his mission to speed to pass his father again. If there was a huge truck in front of us, instead of slowing down he would accelerate and weave his way on the wrong side of the truck to pass it through gravelly passage. I was doing everything in my power to breathe and relax but it was not working very well.
We stopped about an hour into this second section of the drive, and I ran over to Andy the American and begged 'Can you let me ride with you? I am terrified!' and so I did, and it was the calming and solid ride I was seeking. This lasted until we finally arrived at the beach, where we found a rather fancy seafood restaurant and let the Vietnamese crew order for the likes of us Caucasians. Super tasty meal, and then we walked down some stairs to the beach where some of us swam in the bathtub temperature water (`cold', according to the Dad Chieu) and then I passed out in the shade in a beach chair.
I was awoken by Chieu, it was time to go to the Kite Festival. We got there a few minutes later, and there were two large kites being flown, and then wrestled to the ground by about 10 or 15 men. It was not quite the festival I had been envisioning, but again this was a `journey is goal' type of experience, and I was happy enough to be along on this adventure. Before leaving the town, we stopped at another restaurant (yay! these are my kind of people!) and I got on the back of Andy`s bike again. We were going to follow Tui, the Mom home. But, what I didn`t realize is that Andy wasn`t watching what direction Tui went, and suddenly we had lost our only knowledgeable guide home.
Andy said not to worry (but I did anyway) that we would figure it out (and eventually we did), but there is something in that ride that completely stressed my entire body out. We didn`t get back until about 4.5 hours later, about 2.5 of those hours in the dark, and at least half the time not knowing if we were going the right way. I was crammed into a very small amount of space on the bag of Andy`s bike between him and a big bag on the back, and we had to take frequent stops to walk and stretch, our butts SO SORE and in pain! We quickly slid into delirium- especially me! Not to mention, in this nighttime highway traffic with cars honking and beeping and weaving and zigzaggin, it was all that my sensitive little system could take. When I finally got back to my hotel and stumbled up the stairs and into the room Claude and I were sharing, I could barely talk, and started crying while brushing my teeth from this bizarre feeling of pain and exhaustion throughout my entire body.
Claude was kind and practiced Thai Massage on me to help me to try and relax. It was very helpful in the moment and helped me to sleep, but nonetheless, I woke up the next day, feeling as weak as I can remember, barely able to walk, and moving at a snail`s pace. We had to pack and move out of our hotel to take a bus down to Go Cong to meet up with Mama and Papa, and I felt like I could barely move.
Somehow, we got to the bus, and Claude did anything and everything that needed doing. On the bus, crammed in with a bunch of locals until there was no pathway anymore, and a sticky heat closing in on us, with tons of people coming onto the bus to try and sell us food, I found whatever position I could no matter how uncomfortable to pass out. Unbelievably, I slept through the hottest bumpiest and loudest bus ride of about 2 hours. When we arrived in Go Cong, Papa came on motorbike and picked me up first and took me back to the house where I promptly became horizontal on their couch and in the care of Mama, while Papa went back for Claude.
The next two days I basically spent sleeping. My whole body was in pain, I didn`t want to eat, my head was pounding and there was this inexplicable pressure behind my eyes- I was a mess. That said, I would sleep for periods of about 3 hours intermittently, and be woken up either by Mama trying to get me to eat something, or by Claude urging me to get up and get out and move around. So, during this two (or was it three?) days in Go Cong, I actually had lunch over at one of Claude`s friends houses (I can`t remember his name now but he was SO sweet and laughed a lot and made fun of me for sleeping so much) and also got my haircut and chemically straightened at the salon of Mama and Papa`s son-in-law. (As soon as I did this, I realized I like the fact that I have naturally wavy hair, but, I thought it so novel to get my hair done in Vietnam for what I figured would be nominally cheap, and turned out to be free as a gift from FAMILY!!) And we visited a Pagoda in town. Any time in between these activities, I spent sleeping.
We had made plans with Mama and Papa to do a 4-day trip in the mountains and at the ocean, but Claude and I didn`t know anything about the detials of the trip. We knew we were going to Nha Trang a beach town, and Dalat a sweet mountain town, but we didn`t know exactly how or when or where we were staying. Turned out they had booked us on an overnight bus that is part of a large tour group, so on our 3rd day in Go Cong, we boarded a bus at 7:30pm with about 25 Vietnamese all going to the same towns and hotels, and didn`t arrive to our destination until 2pm the next day. This bus ride was the loudest I have ever experienced, and my condition had it so that every noise felt like an assault anyway. Vietnamese Pop music was BLASTED until 11:30pm, we had a respite until 4:30am. We stopped about every hour for the bathroom or food, and I was either sleeping or struggling to sleep. I was in hell. At 4:30am the music returned, or else tv shows were shown with the volume at a level that made the content incomprehensible due to its intense loudness.
The next day, there were two destination stops before our final destination of Nha Trang, and at one of the beaches we stopped at, instead of being able to enjoy it, I only wanted to know where I could go to lay down. Claude RENTED A HAMMOCK for me and strung it between two trees, and I fell into it and slept until 2 minutes before our bus was to leave. I think you get the picture- this is what the whole next day looked like as well, but once we spent this next night four in a hotel room with the tv blaring in there as well, I decided that the next day, when we arrived in the mountain town of Dalat, I was going to get my own hotel room, and separate myself from the whole bus tour. And that I did. Got my own room, and stayed in it for the next 24 hours, sleeping and watching 80`s movies on Vietnamese HBO. It was the greatest catharsis I have ever had. I just needed some privacy and stillness and to stop moving. And a Chris Rock movie called `Pootie Tang.' Go see that movie! :)
Monday, April 18, 2011
Vietnam: The Culture Shock I Have Been Waiting For
I met my French-Canadian friend Claude at the Bangkok Airport for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on April 6th after spending three sweet and easy weeks in Thailand. As it turns out, I had no idea what I was in for by coming to Vietnam. Here's one way of putting it: anyone who has ever referred to Bangkok as 'crazy' has never been to Ho Chi Minh City.
We stepped out of the airport and into the city. We were looking for a bus to get to a general guesthouse area, but were having trouble finding the right bus. The drivers on one bus that we were asking were saying `no more buses!' but then suddenly this other guy, who I interpreted to be another bus driver, convinced this bus to take us one third of the way to our desired destination, where we would indeed be able to find another bus to take us the rest of the way. So, we had our own private (public) bus for about five minutes and 15,000Dong (less than $1) and this guy was sticking with us, and asking us where we planned on staying. When we got off the bus, he helped me with my big and awkward travel backpack, and though I was expecting him to hand it right back to me, he started walking with us and kept my bag, and led us straight into 10 lanes of beeping traffic, which consisted of more motorbikes than I have ever seen in one place in my life, it was night time and so it was a whirring of lights and a wall of honking and beeping (people honk to say 'I`m here' and 'I`m behind you' and 'I`m passing you' and 'I exist', so, the honking is constant) and little did I know that the `way' to cross the street here is to literally just step out into traffic and walk slowly and at a consistent pace so that motorbikes know how to appropriately zoom out of your way. It is actually unsafe to stop or move quickly, because then the motorbikers have no way of predicting which way to go.
Not really knowing that this was 'the way' out here, I involuntarily grabbed Claude`s arm, and clung for dear life, emitting little girly shrieks about every second and a half and eventually laughing from a place of pure fear but not knowing how else to relieve the tension. We eventually got onto a bus where that guy bought our tickets for us (with the hope of some sort of return eventually) but he received a call and we wound up parting ways as a result, and, to much to my relief (I finally asked him for my backback back). We found a room in a guesthouse nearby the bus stop with a nice old Vietnamese lady named Kim, and I flopped onto the bed and released the breath I had been holding for the past hour straight, and told Claude he could take the first shower as I needed about 20 minutes to find myself again in the stillness and safety of our room. It was my goal to seem cool and casual through all of this, but, I had/have to admit to my `sensitive nervous system' and how overwhelming I was finding my introduction to Vietnam.
Every bit of culture shock that I was expecting from Bangkok and Thailand in general that to my surprise never arrived, happened instead in Vietnam throughout my first week in the country. Not being able to communicate, not being able to find food that met my special dietary needs, finding the people and the city itself very in your face and overwhelming, the craziest traffic with constant beeping and noise (and not even knowing how to cross the street the first 24-48 hours!), realized that my travel partner only eats at vegetarian restaurants (I am a full-on carnivore if there are any of you left who do not know this about me, and I must eat quite frequently to feel strong and grounded) and, got sick for a whole week straight three days after arriving and was sleeping everywhere I went while having to move locations on long and loud bus rides.
I don't know exactly how to describe the differences between Thailand and Vietnam exactly, but there was a certain warmth and magic to the Thai people and landscape, and Vietnam so far has been much more big city and cement-y, people staring at me (not smiling and unresponsive when I try smiling in response to the stares), and a lack of understanding on both sides of gestures or hand signals to try and express what words cannot. (I quickly came to love and connect with many Vietnamese upon getting to meet Claude`s friends and making friendships elsewhere, but initially and through being very sick, this is how things felt in the beginning. I might do something like drop a chopstick on the ground at a food stall at one of the many long bus ride stops after being passed out for hours on end from being sick and find twenty pairs of eyes staring at me and I would feel a strong urge to scream out "yes! yes! I dropped a chopstick! That`s right! And I`m an American! That`s right, people! It`s true! I`m the only white person here, AND I dropped a chopstick!!"
Also, people try and sell anything and everything quite aggressively- motorbike rentals, bicycle rentals, hotels, trinkets, food, trips- saying "no" is not sufficient- one has to say "no" and then deal with a borrage of questions about where you are from and where you are going and then a list of reasons why you should do what they are trying to get you to do followed by you saying "no, really, no!" I have even been riding a bicycle and ridden past guys still trying to sell me a "motorbike! motorbike?" or "taxi"! Clearly, I am not in need of a motorbike or taxi since I am riding a bicycle! If they are trying to sell you accommodation and you say "I already have accommodation" they will still try and sell you accommodation and follow you down the street trying to find out how much you are spending at your current place to try and convince you theirs is cheaper. You may ask directions to go somewhere, and they will recommend a location for you to go, and you may tell them that you have already been there, but they do not hear these words- they will keep trying to tell you to go to that place, or, if not, then another. "Where are you going?" is the most common question I believe I have heard in my two plus weeks here in Vietnam.
An amazing example of this took place today when I was riding my rented motorbike to Danang to meet back up with Claude after a 24-solo-trip I took to the quiant little tourist town of Hoi An, and I saw a woman try to wave me down from the side of the street (I was going about 40-50 mph) and then kept going on my way. About a minute later, there was that same woman, on a motorbike next to me, shouting through sandy winds and the noise of tons of motorbikes "Where are you going?" I began a sentence to answer her in earnest and got as far as "I`m going .. ." and then suddenly realized that I was driving 50 mph and doing my best to stay upright in the wind and was about to have a seller/buyer negotiation from this vantage point, and that I knew she was going to try and get me to come to Marble Mountain which I had already done the day before, and with the language barrier the simplest and easiest thing to do was to just shake my head and say `no, no, no!' quite firmly and wave my hand 'no' as well, and as quickly as she had arrived she fell back into the lines knowing that there was no hope with me, which, shows just how clear I was being, which, for me, is a huge feat in my travels in Vietnam so far. Firm clarity.
This country is teaching me, if nothing else, how to be assertive. Whether it is ordering food, bargaining a price (for anything and everything), driving a motorbike, riding a bicycle, telling someone `no', I am absolutely being taught that not only is it okay to be firm and clear and assertive, but actually that it is completely necessary (definitely here, and probably elsewhere as well!), and the only way to get anywhere around here without constant interruption and delay. It turns out that I can be quite earnest and naive as to answer sellers' questions with honesty and sincerity, wanting to connect with the Vietnamese that are 'reaching out' to me (and I wouldn`t want to be rude and walk away from someone who is speaking to me, oh no!) and have gotten roped in so many times to sales pitches. It is amusing actually, to watch myself get taken in so many times. I liked to believe (until about two weeks ago before the illlusion was shattered) that I had some knowing about the ways of the world, but my entry into such very foreign countries has wiped my wisdom slate clean, and I have been feeling like a newborn babe when it comes to being taken advantage of and being such an easy target.
My bargaining skills went from zero, and improved to just looking uncomfortable with the naming of a price that sounded too high, to then just taking so long trying to decide what to do with the repeatedly named high price that the seller winds up naming a lower price because I have stood there for so long not doing anything that they think I am playing hardball. (This is also a `'technique' of mine that my dear old friends from early highschool claimed that I used to beat them in chess- take so long to make a move that they forget what they are doing!) That said, I think that in the past few days, I have made some good bargaining moves, with relative comfort! Ah, so proud of myself for talking the price of a book down by about 50 cents! :)
Okay, this has been the `cultural portion' of my Vietnam experience so far. The next blog will be a more proper account of experiences and destinations, but I had to communicate the `subtext' to lay the proper foundation for everything else. Also, please remember that all of this came through the lens of being nestled in the sweet maternal arms of Thailand for 3 weeks, believing that the most difficult part of my travels had come and gone, expected it all to come at the beginning, and then also becoming sick for a week in such a way that made all sounds and sensations feel like an attack, thus amplifying my experience of Vietnam (the loudest place I have ever been) as being harsh. I have been here 17 days now, and can say with great sincerity that I am loving my experience, and have met so many sweet and hospitable and helpful and kind Vietnamese people, and have had incredibly unique experiences here that I already know that I will miss the place when I am gone. :) (Ah the wisdom of hindsight, experience, and adapatation.)
We stepped out of the airport and into the city. We were looking for a bus to get to a general guesthouse area, but were having trouble finding the right bus. The drivers on one bus that we were asking were saying `no more buses!' but then suddenly this other guy, who I interpreted to be another bus driver, convinced this bus to take us one third of the way to our desired destination, where we would indeed be able to find another bus to take us the rest of the way. So, we had our own private (public) bus for about five minutes and 15,000Dong (less than $1) and this guy was sticking with us, and asking us where we planned on staying. When we got off the bus, he helped me with my big and awkward travel backpack, and though I was expecting him to hand it right back to me, he started walking with us and kept my bag, and led us straight into 10 lanes of beeping traffic, which consisted of more motorbikes than I have ever seen in one place in my life, it was night time and so it was a whirring of lights and a wall of honking and beeping (people honk to say 'I`m here' and 'I`m behind you' and 'I`m passing you' and 'I exist', so, the honking is constant) and little did I know that the `way' to cross the street here is to literally just step out into traffic and walk slowly and at a consistent pace so that motorbikes know how to appropriately zoom out of your way. It is actually unsafe to stop or move quickly, because then the motorbikers have no way of predicting which way to go.
Not really knowing that this was 'the way' out here, I involuntarily grabbed Claude`s arm, and clung for dear life, emitting little girly shrieks about every second and a half and eventually laughing from a place of pure fear but not knowing how else to relieve the tension. We eventually got onto a bus where that guy bought our tickets for us (with the hope of some sort of return eventually) but he received a call and we wound up parting ways as a result, and, to much to my relief (I finally asked him for my backback back). We found a room in a guesthouse nearby the bus stop with a nice old Vietnamese lady named Kim, and I flopped onto the bed and released the breath I had been holding for the past hour straight, and told Claude he could take the first shower as I needed about 20 minutes to find myself again in the stillness and safety of our room. It was my goal to seem cool and casual through all of this, but, I had/have to admit to my `sensitive nervous system' and how overwhelming I was finding my introduction to Vietnam.
Every bit of culture shock that I was expecting from Bangkok and Thailand in general that to my surprise never arrived, happened instead in Vietnam throughout my first week in the country. Not being able to communicate, not being able to find food that met my special dietary needs, finding the people and the city itself very in your face and overwhelming, the craziest traffic with constant beeping and noise (and not even knowing how to cross the street the first 24-48 hours!), realized that my travel partner only eats at vegetarian restaurants (I am a full-on carnivore if there are any of you left who do not know this about me, and I must eat quite frequently to feel strong and grounded) and, got sick for a whole week straight three days after arriving and was sleeping everywhere I went while having to move locations on long and loud bus rides.
I don't know exactly how to describe the differences between Thailand and Vietnam exactly, but there was a certain warmth and magic to the Thai people and landscape, and Vietnam so far has been much more big city and cement-y, people staring at me (not smiling and unresponsive when I try smiling in response to the stares), and a lack of understanding on both sides of gestures or hand signals to try and express what words cannot. (I quickly came to love and connect with many Vietnamese upon getting to meet Claude`s friends and making friendships elsewhere, but initially and through being very sick, this is how things felt in the beginning. I might do something like drop a chopstick on the ground at a food stall at one of the many long bus ride stops after being passed out for hours on end from being sick and find twenty pairs of eyes staring at me and I would feel a strong urge to scream out "yes! yes! I dropped a chopstick! That`s right! And I`m an American! That`s right, people! It`s true! I`m the only white person here, AND I dropped a chopstick!!"
Also, people try and sell anything and everything quite aggressively- motorbike rentals, bicycle rentals, hotels, trinkets, food, trips- saying "no" is not sufficient- one has to say "no" and then deal with a borrage of questions about where you are from and where you are going and then a list of reasons why you should do what they are trying to get you to do followed by you saying "no, really, no!" I have even been riding a bicycle and ridden past guys still trying to sell me a "motorbike! motorbike?" or "taxi"! Clearly, I am not in need of a motorbike or taxi since I am riding a bicycle! If they are trying to sell you accommodation and you say "I already have accommodation" they will still try and sell you accommodation and follow you down the street trying to find out how much you are spending at your current place to try and convince you theirs is cheaper. You may ask directions to go somewhere, and they will recommend a location for you to go, and you may tell them that you have already been there, but they do not hear these words- they will keep trying to tell you to go to that place, or, if not, then another. "Where are you going?" is the most common question I believe I have heard in my two plus weeks here in Vietnam.
An amazing example of this took place today when I was riding my rented motorbike to Danang to meet back up with Claude after a 24-solo-trip I took to the quiant little tourist town of Hoi An, and I saw a woman try to wave me down from the side of the street (I was going about 40-50 mph) and then kept going on my way. About a minute later, there was that same woman, on a motorbike next to me, shouting through sandy winds and the noise of tons of motorbikes "Where are you going?" I began a sentence to answer her in earnest and got as far as "I`m going .. ." and then suddenly realized that I was driving 50 mph and doing my best to stay upright in the wind and was about to have a seller/buyer negotiation from this vantage point, and that I knew she was going to try and get me to come to Marble Mountain which I had already done the day before, and with the language barrier the simplest and easiest thing to do was to just shake my head and say `no, no, no!' quite firmly and wave my hand 'no' as well, and as quickly as she had arrived she fell back into the lines knowing that there was no hope with me, which, shows just how clear I was being, which, for me, is a huge feat in my travels in Vietnam so far. Firm clarity.
This country is teaching me, if nothing else, how to be assertive. Whether it is ordering food, bargaining a price (for anything and everything), driving a motorbike, riding a bicycle, telling someone `no', I am absolutely being taught that not only is it okay to be firm and clear and assertive, but actually that it is completely necessary (definitely here, and probably elsewhere as well!), and the only way to get anywhere around here without constant interruption and delay. It turns out that I can be quite earnest and naive as to answer sellers' questions with honesty and sincerity, wanting to connect with the Vietnamese that are 'reaching out' to me (and I wouldn`t want to be rude and walk away from someone who is speaking to me, oh no!) and have gotten roped in so many times to sales pitches. It is amusing actually, to watch myself get taken in so many times. I liked to believe (until about two weeks ago before the illlusion was shattered) that I had some knowing about the ways of the world, but my entry into such very foreign countries has wiped my wisdom slate clean, and I have been feeling like a newborn babe when it comes to being taken advantage of and being such an easy target.
My bargaining skills went from zero, and improved to just looking uncomfortable with the naming of a price that sounded too high, to then just taking so long trying to decide what to do with the repeatedly named high price that the seller winds up naming a lower price because I have stood there for so long not doing anything that they think I am playing hardball. (This is also a `'technique' of mine that my dear old friends from early highschool claimed that I used to beat them in chess- take so long to make a move that they forget what they are doing!) That said, I think that in the past few days, I have made some good bargaining moves, with relative comfort! Ah, so proud of myself for talking the price of a book down by about 50 cents! :)
Okay, this has been the `cultural portion' of my Vietnam experience so far. The next blog will be a more proper account of experiences and destinations, but I had to communicate the `subtext' to lay the proper foundation for everything else. Also, please remember that all of this came through the lens of being nestled in the sweet maternal arms of Thailand for 3 weeks, believing that the most difficult part of my travels had come and gone, expected it all to come at the beginning, and then also becoming sick for a week in such a way that made all sounds and sensations feel like an attack, thus amplifying my experience of Vietnam (the loudest place I have ever been) as being harsh. I have been here 17 days now, and can say with great sincerity that I am loving my experience, and have met so many sweet and hospitable and helpful and kind Vietnamese people, and have had incredibly unique experiences here that I already know that I will miss the place when I am gone. :) (Ah the wisdom of hindsight, experience, and adapatation.)
Friday, April 1, 2011
From Koh Tao to Kanchanaburi
Ahh! How good it is to be in the sunshine and heat once again!
I just left the endless rain and floods of Koh Tao, a tiny island off the coast of Southern Thailand. A navy boat was I was there to evacuate people off of the island- not because it was dangerous to stay, but because no boats had come or gone in three days due to the rough conditions, and the streets of Koh Tao were flooded. People wanted to go somewhere else instead of hanging out in the rain for days or weeks!
There was even a helicopter moving elderly people and women with children to the navy boat itself to try and speed the process, which, was sending people out 12 people at a time in small boats to a bigger boat, that when full would then shuttle out to the navy boat. They were doing this with THOUSANDS of people who had been stuck on the island for days or all week, so needless to say it was a very slow and laborious process. I stood out in the rain for hours, and got as far as being the NEXT group to get on the small boats, when they said `no more people on the navy boat today, it is again too rough even just to transport people to the navy boat.` So I stayed another night which was disappointing, but turned out to be great because in line I met some great people from Israel, and spent that evening with them in Koh Tao, and the whole next day on the boat and bus (a 12 hour journey) and they were really great. Now I have two friends in Israel.
I was in Koh Tao to try and get some diving in. .. I dove twice a day for three days, two dives of which were contributing to my advanced scuba certification which I never got an opportunity to finish. It started raining, and it never stopped all the way until I left the island a week later. As a result of the rain, I wound up having a different sort of experience, which meant hanging out with some of my dive instructors, playing board games and darts and cards in a local bar across the street from the dive shop and hotel, and watching movies as the rain poured down all day and night. It was fun indeed, but when the time came to leave I was ready.
Once I reached Bangkok after the full day of travel, I stayed in my favorite place that is now my homebase from everywhere I have traveled to and from so far- Shanti Lodge. People know my name there now and it feels like coming home. I arrived in Bangkok after two weeks of travel not knowing where to go next, and knowing that I would be leaving in 5 days for Vietnam. I decided the next morning to take a train out to Kanchanaburi, a smaller town a 3 hour train ride northwest of Bangkok, more in the countryside with lots of outdoor and active options.
I was on the train early the next afternoon, and it was such a great ride! I met an American couple, and together we interacted with a Thai Monk during our first leg of the train ride. For the rest of it, we just got to experience seeing great views of the countryside through open windows and a hot breeze, and sights of local people working or cycling along the road and in the fields. I loved it!
Got to Kanchanaburi, and booked myself at the Blue Star Guesthouse, which was GREAT! I got a bungalow up at tree level for 200 baht (6 dollars!) which was located in a swamp right next to the the River Kwai. I immediately rented myself a bicycle, and rode down to the famous bridge over the River Kwai as the sun was setting, and tons of tourists were posing in front of the beautiful old bridge. Got a coconut to celebrate. :)
That night, I rode my great town bike (with Hello Kitty horn) down to the Night Market where there was booth after booth of amazing delicious weird and interesting foods. I sampled a good 4 or 5 (or maybe even 6) booth`s worth, and was like a kid in a candy store in there. Got some real Thai custard which was the best I have ever had, after multiple servings of different meat skewers and some experimental savory treats that I still don`t know what they were. There were also hundreds of booths of clothing and trinkets and Buddhas and puppies and even a booth with some Sugar Gliders! So cute! I was both excited and overwhelmed all at once walking through this market, but either way I was pleased with my discovery of this town.
The next day, I rented a motorbike and decided to give myself a personal tour of the Wats (temples) in and near Kanchanaburi. This turned out to be more than I had bargained for. I thought I was going to be on back sweet country roads, but instead wound up on the highway where I found myself absolutely terrified and out of my element. I also wound up on some back roads, but got lost multiple times. That said, I stopped at many food vendors on the side of the road to fuel my adventure, while asking directions, and wound up seeing some sights I never would have found other wise- an enormous beautiful tree in a small village called the `big monkey tree`and some other more local temples, and at one point I found myself at a residential Monk temple, where they pointed out a cave full of Buddhas, where if I put money into a slot, some very cheerful Thai pop music played. Bizarre!
I eventually made it to one of the Wats I had intended, which was quite impressive and had a massive and steep stairway to reach it, which I felt was my reward after hours and hours of searching for a place that should have taken me a half an hour. There was a giant Golden Buddha at the top, as well as some amazing architecture of the temple it was in. Whew!
I came back from my 6 hour adventure (!!) and promptly dropped off my motorbike even though I could have kept it until the next day. Picked up my bicycle and rode to the night market again to fuel up, and decided to have an easier day the next- a trip on a bus to the Erawan Waterfalls!
The next day, I got on the 8am bus, and immediately met Paul from Bath, England, as well as a posse he was traveling with who he met through couchsurfing.com. Two Thais, 2 Swedes, and a French woman. I wound up spending the whole day with them, as we hiked up the mountain trail and stopped at each and every of the seven waterfalls, and swam in five of them. The water was an amazing blue color, was the perfect cool temperature on a hot day, and was full of fish that nip at your feet and toes and is both enjoyable and freaky at the same time.
We had so much fun! I wound up spending the next two days with Paul doing all sorts of fun stuff- the next day we did an all day cooking course at Apple`s Guesthouse with Apple herself, which was an incredibly fun and enlightening experience. She took us for a one hour tour of the local fruit and meat market, explaining to us all of the different weird and unusual foods that are used daily by Thai people in their diets and meal preparation. When we returned to the hotel after sampling various goodies that she hand picked out for us, we started the rest of our lesson. We learned to make four traditional Thai dishes! First Apple would demonstrate, and then the two pairs of us (there was a pair of two frenchwomen doing the class as well) would try our hand at it. We made Masaman Curry, Chicken Pad Thai, Tom Kha Gai Soup, and Chicken Cashew stir fry. I am definitely going to make this stuff when I come home! It is quick, easy, and delicious.
That night was another visit to the night market, this time with Paul, and more fun and weird food was consumed. We brought various desserts back to the hotel and watched american cartoons with Thai dubbed dialogue for many hours while eating our tasty Thai treats, and it was so incredibly entertaining!
I was leaving the next day on an afternoon train, but with the morning still free, Paul and I rented a kayak and cruised lazily down the River Qwai. It was a sunny and still day, and the perfect way to end my time in Kanchanaburi, which gave me some great rest, relaxation, and some much needed exercise in hiking, swimming, and cycling. Hooray!
Took the afternoon train back to Bangkok, loving my experience once again, being a bit off the main tourist path, as there may have been perhaps one tourist per car, the rest all Thais commuting from one place or another. Returned to the Shanti Lodge for one night and morning of rest and getting organized for leaving for Vietnam. A whole new country to explore, and an old friend to meet at the airport!
I just left the endless rain and floods of Koh Tao, a tiny island off the coast of Southern Thailand. A navy boat was I was there to evacuate people off of the island- not because it was dangerous to stay, but because no boats had come or gone in three days due to the rough conditions, and the streets of Koh Tao were flooded. People wanted to go somewhere else instead of hanging out in the rain for days or weeks!
There was even a helicopter moving elderly people and women with children to the navy boat itself to try and speed the process, which, was sending people out 12 people at a time in small boats to a bigger boat, that when full would then shuttle out to the navy boat. They were doing this with THOUSANDS of people who had been stuck on the island for days or all week, so needless to say it was a very slow and laborious process. I stood out in the rain for hours, and got as far as being the NEXT group to get on the small boats, when they said `no more people on the navy boat today, it is again too rough even just to transport people to the navy boat.` So I stayed another night which was disappointing, but turned out to be great because in line I met some great people from Israel, and spent that evening with them in Koh Tao, and the whole next day on the boat and bus (a 12 hour journey) and they were really great. Now I have two friends in Israel.
I was in Koh Tao to try and get some diving in. .. I dove twice a day for three days, two dives of which were contributing to my advanced scuba certification which I never got an opportunity to finish. It started raining, and it never stopped all the way until I left the island a week later. As a result of the rain, I wound up having a different sort of experience, which meant hanging out with some of my dive instructors, playing board games and darts and cards in a local bar across the street from the dive shop and hotel, and watching movies as the rain poured down all day and night. It was fun indeed, but when the time came to leave I was ready.
Once I reached Bangkok after the full day of travel, I stayed in my favorite place that is now my homebase from everywhere I have traveled to and from so far- Shanti Lodge. People know my name there now and it feels like coming home. I arrived in Bangkok after two weeks of travel not knowing where to go next, and knowing that I would be leaving in 5 days for Vietnam. I decided the next morning to take a train out to Kanchanaburi, a smaller town a 3 hour train ride northwest of Bangkok, more in the countryside with lots of outdoor and active options.
I was on the train early the next afternoon, and it was such a great ride! I met an American couple, and together we interacted with a Thai Monk during our first leg of the train ride. For the rest of it, we just got to experience seeing great views of the countryside through open windows and a hot breeze, and sights of local people working or cycling along the road and in the fields. I loved it!
Got to Kanchanaburi, and booked myself at the Blue Star Guesthouse, which was GREAT! I got a bungalow up at tree level for 200 baht (6 dollars!) which was located in a swamp right next to the the River Kwai. I immediately rented myself a bicycle, and rode down to the famous bridge over the River Kwai as the sun was setting, and tons of tourists were posing in front of the beautiful old bridge. Got a coconut to celebrate. :)
That night, I rode my great town bike (with Hello Kitty horn) down to the Night Market where there was booth after booth of amazing delicious weird and interesting foods. I sampled a good 4 or 5 (or maybe even 6) booth`s worth, and was like a kid in a candy store in there. Got some real Thai custard which was the best I have ever had, after multiple servings of different meat skewers and some experimental savory treats that I still don`t know what they were. There were also hundreds of booths of clothing and trinkets and Buddhas and puppies and even a booth with some Sugar Gliders! So cute! I was both excited and overwhelmed all at once walking through this market, but either way I was pleased with my discovery of this town.
The next day, I rented a motorbike and decided to give myself a personal tour of the Wats (temples) in and near Kanchanaburi. This turned out to be more than I had bargained for. I thought I was going to be on back sweet country roads, but instead wound up on the highway where I found myself absolutely terrified and out of my element. I also wound up on some back roads, but got lost multiple times. That said, I stopped at many food vendors on the side of the road to fuel my adventure, while asking directions, and wound up seeing some sights I never would have found other wise- an enormous beautiful tree in a small village called the `big monkey tree`and some other more local temples, and at one point I found myself at a residential Monk temple, where they pointed out a cave full of Buddhas, where if I put money into a slot, some very cheerful Thai pop music played. Bizarre!
I eventually made it to one of the Wats I had intended, which was quite impressive and had a massive and steep stairway to reach it, which I felt was my reward after hours and hours of searching for a place that should have taken me a half an hour. There was a giant Golden Buddha at the top, as well as some amazing architecture of the temple it was in. Whew!
I came back from my 6 hour adventure (!!) and promptly dropped off my motorbike even though I could have kept it until the next day. Picked up my bicycle and rode to the night market again to fuel up, and decided to have an easier day the next- a trip on a bus to the Erawan Waterfalls!
The next day, I got on the 8am bus, and immediately met Paul from Bath, England, as well as a posse he was traveling with who he met through couchsurfing.com. Two Thais, 2 Swedes, and a French woman. I wound up spending the whole day with them, as we hiked up the mountain trail and stopped at each and every of the seven waterfalls, and swam in five of them. The water was an amazing blue color, was the perfect cool temperature on a hot day, and was full of fish that nip at your feet and toes and is both enjoyable and freaky at the same time.
We had so much fun! I wound up spending the next two days with Paul doing all sorts of fun stuff- the next day we did an all day cooking course at Apple`s Guesthouse with Apple herself, which was an incredibly fun and enlightening experience. She took us for a one hour tour of the local fruit and meat market, explaining to us all of the different weird and unusual foods that are used daily by Thai people in their diets and meal preparation. When we returned to the hotel after sampling various goodies that she hand picked out for us, we started the rest of our lesson. We learned to make four traditional Thai dishes! First Apple would demonstrate, and then the two pairs of us (there was a pair of two frenchwomen doing the class as well) would try our hand at it. We made Masaman Curry, Chicken Pad Thai, Tom Kha Gai Soup, and Chicken Cashew stir fry. I am definitely going to make this stuff when I come home! It is quick, easy, and delicious.
That night was another visit to the night market, this time with Paul, and more fun and weird food was consumed. We brought various desserts back to the hotel and watched american cartoons with Thai dubbed dialogue for many hours while eating our tasty Thai treats, and it was so incredibly entertaining!
I was leaving the next day on an afternoon train, but with the morning still free, Paul and I rented a kayak and cruised lazily down the River Qwai. It was a sunny and still day, and the perfect way to end my time in Kanchanaburi, which gave me some great rest, relaxation, and some much needed exercise in hiking, swimming, and cycling. Hooray!
Took the afternoon train back to Bangkok, loving my experience once again, being a bit off the main tourist path, as there may have been perhaps one tourist per car, the rest all Thais commuting from one place or another. Returned to the Shanti Lodge for one night and morning of rest and getting organized for leaving for Vietnam. A whole new country to explore, and an old friend to meet at the airport!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Southern Thailand- Koh Phangan
Maureen and I left Bangkok last Friday, March 18th in the late morning. We were headed to Koh Phangan for some relaxing living, and though we thought we were just a short 1-hour flight away, the experience turned into a 12-hour trip, which we are quickly learning is often the way when going anywhere in Thailand. This is changing our missions and ambitions in terms of travel and exploration in Thailand, realizing that after such long stints of travel, we will be covering less than we had hoped and planned. This is actually quite good news, as it keeps us staying in each place longer, and thus getting to see and experience more of each place, as well as moving at a slower pace overall.
We took a 1-hour taxi ride from Bangkok to the airport, then an hour later took our 1-hour flight. Upon arrival in Surathani, we shared a 1-hour taxi with two British girls who work on a cruise ship in Florida. Next, we got on a 3 hour boat ride, and enjoyed getting splashed sitting at the front of the boat in the gorgeous night air. Upon our landing in Koh Phangan, we were picked up by some sort of truck-taxi that takes gangs of tourists to various hotels and lodging, and once we got as far as we could get, they told us that the waters were too rough to take a taxi-boat to our lodgings, and that instead we needed to rent a 4-wheel-drive truck driver to take us the rest of the way unless we wanted to spend the night where we were. It was a seriously touristy and loud and partying atmosphere, and we decided to drop the $25 bucks each to take the truck to get to our much-longed-for 'Sanctuary' hotel that promised peace, quiet, meditation, yoga, fasting if you so desired.
We got taken for a SERIOUS jungle ride that night at about 10 or 11pm- a good half an hour in what turned out to be a VERY necessary truck-rental. The hills we climbed and descended were CRAZY and STEEP and we were seated just us two in the back of the open air truck, holding on for dear life and laughing at each rise and fall. We began wondering what types of animals lived in these jungle parts, and also enjoyed the view that the nearly-full-moon was providing. When we finally arrived at The Sanctuary, we hoped that there was indeed a room available. (they don't take reservations so you just have to cross your fingers).
They indeed had a dorm room, and while checking us in, they informed us that an all-night party was about to begin- 11pm until lunchtime the next day. It was like being at Burning Man, with unbelievably loud techno/trance music playing all night and all morning long, except for the fact that we were on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere, thinking we were coming to a meditative resort. We both lost our minds a little bit that night and the next morning, but quickly found ourselves adapting to our otherwise-paradise atmosphere, (especially once the music stopped around 2pm the next day).
We wound up staying there for the next 5 days together, and we got our own sweet bungalow after our first night in the dorms for $9 each. The food at the Sanctuary was great, and there were 3 daily yoga classes (of which I attended one the whole time, believe it or not!). I got busy relaxing, sunbathing on the beach, eating and drinking smoothies all day, and we quickly discovered a massage-hut called 'Ping' just a 5-minute walk down the beach that we visited each day of our stay. There were 5 or 6 Thai ladies working there, some of their nicknames being 'Mama, Big Mama, and Pepsi', as well as Dang, and Wee (not sure of the correct spelling).
We fell in love with these ladies, and I think it was a reciprocal love. Wee, the lady who worked on me each day, even went out to pick some Aloe for me and apply it to all of my sunburned skin. There were also some great local restaurants locally run - 'Beam', and 'Spice'. Beam was a more traditional and family run restaurant, and Spice was a new-age fusion type restaurant run by a local young Thai guy who looked like an American Hipster. The food was great everywhere.
I was sad to leave Maureen, our dear Thai Massage ladies, and the relaxing atmosphere of the Sanctuary yesterday, but I am determined to do some diving while in the South, and left yesterday to make my way to Koh Tao. Hoping to reconnect with Maureen in one of these island parts soon, though she was talking about a longer-term stay at the Sanctuary by the time I was on my way. . . :)
We took a 1-hour taxi ride from Bangkok to the airport, then an hour later took our 1-hour flight. Upon arrival in Surathani, we shared a 1-hour taxi with two British girls who work on a cruise ship in Florida. Next, we got on a 3 hour boat ride, and enjoyed getting splashed sitting at the front of the boat in the gorgeous night air. Upon our landing in Koh Phangan, we were picked up by some sort of truck-taxi that takes gangs of tourists to various hotels and lodging, and once we got as far as we could get, they told us that the waters were too rough to take a taxi-boat to our lodgings, and that instead we needed to rent a 4-wheel-drive truck driver to take us the rest of the way unless we wanted to spend the night where we were. It was a seriously touristy and loud and partying atmosphere, and we decided to drop the $25 bucks each to take the truck to get to our much-longed-for 'Sanctuary' hotel that promised peace, quiet, meditation, yoga, fasting if you so desired.
We got taken for a SERIOUS jungle ride that night at about 10 or 11pm- a good half an hour in what turned out to be a VERY necessary truck-rental. The hills we climbed and descended were CRAZY and STEEP and we were seated just us two in the back of the open air truck, holding on for dear life and laughing at each rise and fall. We began wondering what types of animals lived in these jungle parts, and also enjoyed the view that the nearly-full-moon was providing. When we finally arrived at The Sanctuary, we hoped that there was indeed a room available. (they don't take reservations so you just have to cross your fingers).
They indeed had a dorm room, and while checking us in, they informed us that an all-night party was about to begin- 11pm until lunchtime the next day. It was like being at Burning Man, with unbelievably loud techno/trance music playing all night and all morning long, except for the fact that we were on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere, thinking we were coming to a meditative resort. We both lost our minds a little bit that night and the next morning, but quickly found ourselves adapting to our otherwise-paradise atmosphere, (especially once the music stopped around 2pm the next day).
We wound up staying there for the next 5 days together, and we got our own sweet bungalow after our first night in the dorms for $9 each. The food at the Sanctuary was great, and there were 3 daily yoga classes (of which I attended one the whole time, believe it or not!). I got busy relaxing, sunbathing on the beach, eating and drinking smoothies all day, and we quickly discovered a massage-hut called 'Ping' just a 5-minute walk down the beach that we visited each day of our stay. There were 5 or 6 Thai ladies working there, some of their nicknames being 'Mama, Big Mama, and Pepsi', as well as Dang, and Wee (not sure of the correct spelling).
We fell in love with these ladies, and I think it was a reciprocal love. Wee, the lady who worked on me each day, even went out to pick some Aloe for me and apply it to all of my sunburned skin. There were also some great local restaurants locally run - 'Beam', and 'Spice'. Beam was a more traditional and family run restaurant, and Spice was a new-age fusion type restaurant run by a local young Thai guy who looked like an American Hipster. The food was great everywhere.
I was sad to leave Maureen, our dear Thai Massage ladies, and the relaxing atmosphere of the Sanctuary yesterday, but I am determined to do some diving while in the South, and left yesterday to make my way to Koh Tao. Hoping to reconnect with Maureen in one of these island parts soon, though she was talking about a longer-term stay at the Sanctuary by the time I was on my way. . . :)
Southern Thailand- Koh Tao
Welcome to the land where being barefoot is a requirement. Welcome to a culture where massage is as common as buying water at the 7-11 (yes, they are everywhere), and where I seem to lose things more often than ever before in this lifetime thus far.
Items lost:
-1 black dress (bought for this trip, but soon to be recovered from hotel in Bangkok)
-1 lipgloss (why did I bring only one? It has become like breathing air for me, the application of this particular brand and color)
-1 of 2 pairs of shoes that I brought- stolen by a human or maybe a local dog (The latter would make me feel less bitter about the loss of my only non-flip-flop type shoes, very light keens that I bought for this trip as a better pair for walking.)at the Big Blue Dive resort where I stayed last night, gone within 12 hours of arrival.
-ALMOST sunglasses under bungalow at 'the Sanctuary' in Koh Phangan (crawled underneath to retrieve)
-ALMOST toothbrush under bungalow at 'the Sanctuary' in Koh Phangan (see above)
The bad news about these items is that I only brought about 3 outfits so the one dress represented one third of my wardrobe. :) The good news is, it is EASY and CHEAP to buy anything you need here, and any loss of clothing or other objects is just a good excuse to buy something new from Thailand (not to mention I will be getting that dress back).
Anyway, I am writing to you from Koh Tao, an island in the South of Thailand. I arrived yesterday afternoon, after leaving my lodging and my friend Maureen in Koh Phangan at 'The Sanctuary'. The way to get Koh Tao from Koh Phangan is to take a 15 minute boat ride from the local boatmen that hung out at our resort, and you basically let them know you want to leave sometime in the morning, and they tell you they will go once they have at least 3 people who want to go. 200 baht each (about $6) or, if you really need to go urgently, you can pay 600 baht to make the minimum payment for 3 (which is really only $18, but, these things become quite relative once you have been here more than a few days). Paying for three wasn't necessary, as both mornings that I used this boat service, there were at least 3 people within half an hour of my asking the boat drivers. After the 15 minute boat ride (in my case, accompanied by local dog from the island), walk to the other side of the island (10 mins), take a taxi for about half an hour to the main pier, and then take a 2 hour ferry to Koh Tao surrounded by hundreds of college students.
Upon arrival, I was picked up by the resort I had booked myself at Big Blue Dive Resort, (which I now recommend AGAINST) a 10 minute ride away. I suddenly found myself at a very young college-y feeling resort in a dormitory with three early-20-somethings, with music booming all night, and the room smelling like mildew. I suddenly realized that at 32, I am no longer interested in dorm living, even if it is only $6 a night (200 baht). Also, there was an overly-cheerful American type of atmosphere at this place, and, I am looking for more local culture than a return to America!
The moment I woke up this morning, and after dreaming all night about bungalows by the beach, I hit the pavement looking for the perfect place. Every month at Koh Phangan, there are Full Moon Parties, which flood the island itself with thousands of people (especially the college-age crowd), who drink, take hallucinogenics, party all night long- it is a big draw here- and as a result, lodging on all other surrounding islands also get booked which makes finding a place a bit difficult.
Nonetheless, I lucked out this morning, and found a sweet Bungalow for my very own at Sairee Hut Diving Resort where a mainland Thai guy named 'Fix' who has a Cockney accent (spent some time in London apparently) set me up. It is a rustic/basic little bungalow with its own bathroom (bucket flush), and I love it. My next mission was food (I missed breakfast for the first time in probably two years, that is how determined I was to get out of the dorms and into a solo-space). I got some traditional Laab Pork, sticky rice, and Grilled chicken- DELICIOUS! Then made my way for mission #3 of the day- find the perfect motorbike!
I have been warned by many against the renting of these motorbikes due to the dangers it presents, as well as the high costs if any damage occurs to the motorbikes. That said, I have felt a longing and yearning from deep within my heart since my arrival in Thailand to rent one of these famous mopeds, not to mention the streets here are covered by locals and tourists alike on these scooters, and I feel I would be missing out on the local culture if I did not jump in. (Not to mention, I have been riding my own scooter for 2 or 3 years now, and feel quite comfortable.) That said, please forgive me for saying so, but there are, indeed, a large number of douche-bags riding around town which does make the local and also experienced rider shake their head with disdain.
I walked around for what seemed like an excessively long time in search of the perfect bike - the 'excess' being my own pickiness- and just when I thought I was being a bit too particular, I saw it- a gorgeous and super stylish bike, and much rarer find on this island. I rented it inside 5 minutes, and took it for a 1-hour spin around the island. My heart surged with joy as I rode around taking in the local sites and culture, and after getting my fill of the sights, I found myself needing to fill my belly once again, and stopped at a sweet local woman's cart on the side of the road, and got myself some BBQ Pork for 20 baht, and sat down at one of her tables to enjoy this sumptuous snack.
Tomorrow I start diving here through the Sairee Hut Resort that I am staying at, and I couldn't be happier!
Items lost:
-1 black dress (bought for this trip, but soon to be recovered from hotel in Bangkok)
-1 lipgloss (why did I bring only one? It has become like breathing air for me, the application of this particular brand and color)
-1 of 2 pairs of shoes that I brought- stolen by a human or maybe a local dog (The latter would make me feel less bitter about the loss of my only non-flip-flop type shoes, very light keens that I bought for this trip as a better pair for walking.)at the Big Blue Dive resort where I stayed last night, gone within 12 hours of arrival.
-ALMOST sunglasses under bungalow at 'the Sanctuary' in Koh Phangan (crawled underneath to retrieve)
-ALMOST toothbrush under bungalow at 'the Sanctuary' in Koh Phangan (see above)
The bad news about these items is that I only brought about 3 outfits so the one dress represented one third of my wardrobe. :) The good news is, it is EASY and CHEAP to buy anything you need here, and any loss of clothing or other objects is just a good excuse to buy something new from Thailand (not to mention I will be getting that dress back).
Anyway, I am writing to you from Koh Tao, an island in the South of Thailand. I arrived yesterday afternoon, after leaving my lodging and my friend Maureen in Koh Phangan at 'The Sanctuary'. The way to get Koh Tao from Koh Phangan is to take a 15 minute boat ride from the local boatmen that hung out at our resort, and you basically let them know you want to leave sometime in the morning, and they tell you they will go once they have at least 3 people who want to go. 200 baht each (about $6) or, if you really need to go urgently, you can pay 600 baht to make the minimum payment for 3 (which is really only $18, but, these things become quite relative once you have been here more than a few days). Paying for three wasn't necessary, as both mornings that I used this boat service, there were at least 3 people within half an hour of my asking the boat drivers. After the 15 minute boat ride (in my case, accompanied by local dog from the island), walk to the other side of the island (10 mins), take a taxi for about half an hour to the main pier, and then take a 2 hour ferry to Koh Tao surrounded by hundreds of college students.
Upon arrival, I was picked up by the resort I had booked myself at Big Blue Dive Resort, (which I now recommend AGAINST) a 10 minute ride away. I suddenly found myself at a very young college-y feeling resort in a dormitory with three early-20-somethings, with music booming all night, and the room smelling like mildew. I suddenly realized that at 32, I am no longer interested in dorm living, even if it is only $6 a night (200 baht). Also, there was an overly-cheerful American type of atmosphere at this place, and, I am looking for more local culture than a return to America!
The moment I woke up this morning, and after dreaming all night about bungalows by the beach, I hit the pavement looking for the perfect place. Every month at Koh Phangan, there are Full Moon Parties, which flood the island itself with thousands of people (especially the college-age crowd), who drink, take hallucinogenics, party all night long- it is a big draw here- and as a result, lodging on all other surrounding islands also get booked which makes finding a place a bit difficult.
Nonetheless, I lucked out this morning, and found a sweet Bungalow for my very own at Sairee Hut Diving Resort where a mainland Thai guy named 'Fix' who has a Cockney accent (spent some time in London apparently) set me up. It is a rustic/basic little bungalow with its own bathroom (bucket flush), and I love it. My next mission was food (I missed breakfast for the first time in probably two years, that is how determined I was to get out of the dorms and into a solo-space). I got some traditional Laab Pork, sticky rice, and Grilled chicken- DELICIOUS! Then made my way for mission #3 of the day- find the perfect motorbike!
I have been warned by many against the renting of these motorbikes due to the dangers it presents, as well as the high costs if any damage occurs to the motorbikes. That said, I have felt a longing and yearning from deep within my heart since my arrival in Thailand to rent one of these famous mopeds, not to mention the streets here are covered by locals and tourists alike on these scooters, and I feel I would be missing out on the local culture if I did not jump in. (Not to mention, I have been riding my own scooter for 2 or 3 years now, and feel quite comfortable.) That said, please forgive me for saying so, but there are, indeed, a large number of douche-bags riding around town which does make the local and also experienced rider shake their head with disdain.
I walked around for what seemed like an excessively long time in search of the perfect bike - the 'excess' being my own pickiness- and just when I thought I was being a bit too particular, I saw it- a gorgeous and super stylish bike, and much rarer find on this island. I rented it inside 5 minutes, and took it for a 1-hour spin around the island. My heart surged with joy as I rode around taking in the local sites and culture, and after getting my fill of the sights, I found myself needing to fill my belly once again, and stopped at a sweet local woman's cart on the side of the road, and got myself some BBQ Pork for 20 baht, and sat down at one of her tables to enjoy this sumptuous snack.
Tomorrow I start diving here through the Sairee Hut Resort that I am staying at, and I couldn't be happier!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
First few days in Bangkok before heading South
It has been a rich trip so far, and it is only just getting started! I knew that I needed a few days to land on the other side of the world, and had booked myself and my friend Maureen (hereonin dubbed 'Mo') a room not far from the famous Khoa San road in Bangkok at the Shanti lodge, as mentioned in my first blog. Mo wound up being about 2 days late so I spent my first two days with the aforementioned Julia from LA, which was a great unexpected surprise.
On day two, Julia and I visited the Wat Po (Po Temple) where a Traditional Thai Massage school resides, and we got the most amazing Thai Massages there in a large room with about 30 beds, recipients, and Thai practitioners. This was a very healing atmosphere and experience. Before our massages, we explored the Wat itself, and saw the Reclining Buddha, which is a MASSIVE Golden Buddha that reclines on its side, and the bottoms of its feet are a beautiful and intricate mother of pearl inlay. We found ourselves on the canal boats about 4 or 5 times that day, back and forth seeing many sights. That afternoon I was on the fence about going back to the hotel or to continue sightseeing with Julia, and since I didn't have the energy (or knowhow) to navigate my way back 'home', I rode the wave of Julia's energy to THE MALL, which, was not on my list of sights to see, but I am glad I experienced it just to see how similar Thai culture can be to America.
I have never been in such a large and crazy mall in all of my life, and I can not begin to describe the overstimulation that I was feeling while there. I was also feeling my jetlag catch up with me, as well as it being an incredibly sticky hot and humid day. But, we made it, and rode Bangkok's brand new 'SkyTrain' which is new public transportation in the city. When we arrived to the hotel, I found Mo, and we were excited to catch up and reunite. Early to bed again.
I have never been in such a large and crazy mall in all of my life, and I can not begin to describe the overstimulation that I was feeling while there. I was also feeling my jetlag catch up with me, as well as it being an incredibly sticky hot and humid day. But, we made it, and rode Bangkok's brand new 'SkyTrain' which is new public transportation in the city. When we arrived to the hotel, I found Mo, and we were excited to catch up and reunite. Early to bed again.
The next morning, I woke up at 5:30am and visited the fish market down the street from our hotel, and I am so glad that I went when I did. I had been there already, but apparently 6 in the morning is the rockin busy time, and there were Monks leading prayers to the day and to the food, mopeds driving through the not-so-wide aisles, and local Thais galore buying and selling their fish goods. It was the first time I had wandered alone in Bangkok in my first 48 hours, and the first time I felt the reality of my location in a foreign land. It was quite beautiful.
When I returned to the hotel, I joined Mo, Julia, and David (an American from Cape Cod who spends 5 months a year in SE Asia) for a second breakfast, and after connecting with Manuel, a German-Colombian, we set off again to Wat Po for yet another gorgeous massage, and more exploration. Mo and I parted ways with Manuel and Julia as they had other destinations to head off to, Mo and I visited Wat Arun and scared ourselves silly trying to come down from the high and steep climb up many steps. (Photos soon to come). We made our way to near Khoa San Road to buy tickets for the Floating Market for the following morning, and came back to our hotel for another mellow night (still jetlagged despite getting on the schedule quickly).
The next morning, we left our hotel at 6:30am to go to our pickup for the Floating Market. We spent an hour and a half in a minibus getting to a market that exists entirely in small boats and on floats! Food was handed up to us from the first dock, that you could negotiate the purchase of by a person set to that task. There was thai coffee, soup, coconut ice cream, pad thai- you name it. We then rented a small boat with a driver for 150 baht (about 5 dollars) to go shopping.
This was quite exciting and fun at first, especially when we bought some tasty treats of unknown origin- it seemed like some sort of rice-coconut cake, about one-inch circles grilled in little divots by an older Thai lady from her boat. Mostly we were taken at a leisurely pace around the canals by our driver (who Mo bought a beer for at one of the stops) to see all of the different wares being sold by the local people- photo albums, statues, trinkets, purses- anything you can imagine, really. This experience quickly took its toll as the people urged us to 'buy buy buy!' and we said 'no thank you' to vendor after vendor (with the exception of lots of food vendors).
We did make one deliberate stop as I wanted to inquire after a small Buddha statue to buy for my parents, and got into a high-pressure (or so it felt) bargaining stint with the seller- I bid low, and he bid high, and I wasn't even sure if I wanted the statue but just wanted to know what we were talking about if I was interested. He took any sign of positive interest as a sure thing and kept almost selling it to me but I needed more time to think. I felt actually quite uncomfortable as he seemed to think I was backing out of an arrangement, but I was glad to have waited as I was just starting to browse!
By the time we were boarding our minibus, Mo and I were both ready to go back to Bangkok and find respite in our peaceful hotel. We stopped through Sri Ayutti Rd (I think that is the name) near Khoa San Road where we booked a flight for the next day to Kho Phangan an Island (we leave this afternoon) where we plan to experience all that the beach has to offer in Southern Thailand. We had both overdone it a bit on the food, and are both quite sensitive to caffeine and sugar, which, left us feeling quite delirious and a bit ill, and far more prone to overstimulation and overwhelm. I learned that lesson quick- that even though I am in Thailand and want to experience all that it has to offer, I still need to honor my body and its health and balance. In fact, I ESPECIALLY need to do this while on my travels! I knew this already, but, sometimes I need to test the waters to get the same feedback. :)
This was quite exciting and fun at first, especially when we bought some tasty treats of unknown origin- it seemed like some sort of rice-coconut cake, about one-inch circles grilled in little divots by an older Thai lady from her boat. Mostly we were taken at a leisurely pace around the canals by our driver (who Mo bought a beer for at one of the stops) to see all of the different wares being sold by the local people- photo albums, statues, trinkets, purses- anything you can imagine, really. This experience quickly took its toll as the people urged us to 'buy buy buy!' and we said 'no thank you' to vendor after vendor (with the exception of lots of food vendors).
We did make one deliberate stop as I wanted to inquire after a small Buddha statue to buy for my parents, and got into a high-pressure (or so it felt) bargaining stint with the seller- I bid low, and he bid high, and I wasn't even sure if I wanted the statue but just wanted to know what we were talking about if I was interested. He took any sign of positive interest as a sure thing and kept almost selling it to me but I needed more time to think. I felt actually quite uncomfortable as he seemed to think I was backing out of an arrangement, but I was glad to have waited as I was just starting to browse!
By the time we were boarding our minibus, Mo and I were both ready to go back to Bangkok and find respite in our peaceful hotel. We stopped through Sri Ayutti Rd (I think that is the name) near Khoa San Road where we booked a flight for the next day to Kho Phangan an Island (we leave this afternoon) where we plan to experience all that the beach has to offer in Southern Thailand. We had both overdone it a bit on the food, and are both quite sensitive to caffeine and sugar, which, left us feeling quite delirious and a bit ill, and far more prone to overstimulation and overwhelm. I learned that lesson quick- that even though I am in Thailand and want to experience all that it has to offer, I still need to honor my body and its health and balance. In fact, I ESPECIALLY need to do this while on my travels! I knew this already, but, sometimes I need to test the waters to get the same feedback. :)
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