Cambodia

Took Kristen to the airport in Bangkok on the 30th (sad day), then headed to the mankiest hotel I've been to yet. Got up super early and caught the 3rd class 5:55am train to the Cambodian border for stupid cheap (48baht, about $1.40), a 6hr ride. I've heard so many stories about getting scammed at this border, overcharged, etc....I really wanted to get through without any of that....good luck! Ha! Once at the border, semi-official people sit you down and explain that you this is the place to fill out your visa form and the cost is 1200 baht....and that you absolutely cannot get a visa once inside the immigration. I chanced it and headed for the departure immigration on the Thailand side and immediately noticed a sign that basically says there are no more visa on arrivals. The next sign says they only way they'll let you pass to the Cambodia arrival side without already having a visa is if you have a ticket already paid for leaving Cambodia within 30days...which I did not have. So I chanced it again, sure enough they didn't ask for such proof. On the Cambodia side it was very unclear to where we should go, and almost seemed like we were across the border walking in the streets....with no visa....sketch. So I turned back a bit and found the visa place. I filled out the form and handed the officer a $20 US bill. He informed me that for $20 it would take 4 business days to process, and for a visa on arrival it was 1000 baht or $25 US. I once again slid the finished form back and explained that I know the price is $20 US and if he would please process my visa on arrival. He once again slid it back and repeated the price. I explained that I would complain to the minister of tourism if he refused to process my application for $20 US. After countless times of pushing my application back to him he finally just told me that I could not enter Cambodia without paying his desired price and told me to sit down, then closed his window. I tried to wait it out a bit, but decided I'd lost the battle and found 200 baht (around $5) to offer him on top of the $20 US. He accepted. I lost this round. I KNOW for a fact the price is $20 US, but what was I going to do?? They absolutely wouldn't budge. Whatever....next time, next time :)

Met up with a couple of people from Germany who are in university in Bangkok, going to Siem Reap for a couple of days. Cambodia is sketch and people try to scam you left right and center. It's a very poor country and begging is absolutely everywhere. Arranging a ride to Siem Reap was interesting, but we found a taxi to drive us (about 3.5hrs) for about $9/each, which was cheaper than the scam bus service from there. The roads are trecharous in Cambodia, the drivers are even worse. Exhausted when we arrived in Siem Reap, found a guest house which is rad. A room with 3 of us for only $7 US/night, and it's relatively clean. Siem Reap is a super cool town, I think I'm going to like it here.

Pics to follow as soon as I find a computer with USB.

More Land of Thai Pics.

Kristen and Jen in market bliss, Chiang Mai.
Kristen ordering Pad Thai from a street vender in Bangkok.
True story, tiger trekking....
Who wouldn't love this face?? :)

I got a USB cord for my camera!!

Kristen rockin the bike
Kristen's wounds from rockin the bike
New suit, excited :)
Exploring Koh Phangan
Koh Phagnan
Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan
Koh Tao
Koh Tao
Koh Tao
Waiting for a bus in Bangkok, start of journey together.

Island Hopping - Thailand

I've decided that the show must go on.....I need to continue my blogging even though I currently do not have a camera cord to add pics. I can't stand writing with a pen and paper...and I want to have this for future reference, and Drew Gale made me keep it going.

Where did I leave off? Kristen and Jen got to Bangkok, I ended up staying at the airport for 24hrs waiting for them, that's a long story in itself which I won't go into (not because their plane was late or anything, just to do with how I got to Bangkok and confusion and stuff), but I know that airport very well...now it's the third airport I've slept in. Maybe I'll write a book - Airport sleeping around the world.

We went immediately to Koh Tao, my favorite island ever! Small laid back feel, beautiful beaches, not as busy as the rest of the islands. I ran into a guy named Denis who I travelled with from Langkawi (Malaysia) to Krabi and Koh Phi Phi. It was pretty funny and random. We rented motorbikes and explored the island for a few days. Kristen drove one (for the first time ever, and did a rockstar job), I drove the other with Jen on the back. The roads were ridiculous, made for offroading vehicles, the motorbikes had challenges. Kristen did great, when it would get too crazy I would drive one down, then hike back up for the other. The beaches we found were incredible! White powder sand, only a few people, crystal clear warm water....amazing. Beside us were a group of people who I bet Kristen were from Canada. They had Canadian tans, basically looked Canadian, they brought they're own beer even though the sign clearly said no outside food or drink, and they were playing the hip (Tragically Hip....Cdn band) which only a Canadian would do. They were Canadian, crazy Canadians. Kristen had a minor crash on a bike, I'm starting to learn she is more accident prone than I am....is that possible? She burned her leg pretty bad on the bike....then she burned it again! We loved Koh Tao, I hope to go back one day.

Then off to Koh Phangan, home of the infamous moon parties. We decided we wanted to get away from the crowds and head to a farther and harder to reach spot on the island. We rented a 4x4 suzuki and headed there....although the 4x4 was broken, we tried anyway. It was a short live attempt as the vehicle stalled on the way up the first hill on the crazy dirt roads, so we had to go exchange it for a 4x4 that actually worked. That area of the island was beautiful, another amazing Thai Island experience. Next day we explored some waterfalls and more sides of the island.

Last island was Koh Samui, a busy touristy island. It was cool though, weather didn't permit beach days but we had fun exploring the shops and stuff. I bought my first suit ever, and I'm pretty excited about it. I had to go for a few "fittings", and I've decided I'd like to have more "fittings" in the future. I am now the proud owner of a black suit with subtle black pin stripes, a textured white shirt....and a rockin pink shirt. Yup, pretty much a weirdo....whatever :)

We just arrived in Chiang Mai, it's 10pm here, we started travelling at noon.....YESTERDAY! Bus, boat, bus, overnight train, then another train, this one 12hrs...brutal. Tired. Night night.

Kristen and Jen arrived!!

Picked up Kristen and Jen from the Bangkok airport, and headed south to the island Koh Tao. This is the most amazing island I've been to, not drenched with tourists and has a small laid back island feel. We rented motorbikes and found some of the best beaches I've ever seen. Kristen is pretty much a rock star on her motorbike, minus the leg burns and minor crash (don't get scared, wasn't really a crash...sort of). So nice being with Kristen and Jen, love it.

I lost my camera cord to upload photos, unless I can pick one up in Bangkok in a few weeks this may be the end of the blog.....pictureless stories are lame!!!

Krabi, Ko Phi Phi, and Phuket

Been moving around a lot, cramming a bunch of areas into a short period of time. Most of the previous blog entries pics are from Krabi. Last night in Krabi we decided to go to a Muay Thai kickboxing match. It was rad. Kind of expensive, but definitely worth it. I still want to see one in Bangkok, more culture in that one I think. This one was almost all tourists in the seats, the only locals stood on a platform and made bets. We paid like 800 baht to see the fight ("cheap" seats), I'll bet the locals only paid like 60 baht....aaahhhh to be a tourist. Saw some good knock outs though, they kick crazy hard.


Timo, Denis, Katie, Mmmeee

Next day Denis and I headed to Ko Phi Phi and split ways with the German couple - Timo and Katie. Ko Phi Phi was pretty cool, crazy busy there though. It's hard to know how to handle situations and get good deals, to know when you're being lied to etc. First stepped on the island and yeah, it was stupid busy. Everyone came up to us saying "book room here, only 1000 baht, cheapest on island, island full!". We almost did just to be safe, but decided against it. Walked around, and yeah...the island was full! We did find a place after a while, very basic but only 550 baht between the two of us, I kind of liked this place. Denis and I hung out on the beach that night, right beside a popular expensive bar. We got to see the fire throwers, listen to the reggae music, and make a few of our own drinks from some cheap thai home brew from 7-11. At the end of the night they had fire jumping for the bar folk, we got right in there...wish I had pics of it.

Next day we did a touristy tour - large tour on a big boat, many people, only way to do it semi cheap. Saw a bunch of places including Maya Bay, home of "The Beach". This tour was wacky, obviously not enough snorkel equipment or kayaks for everyone, and the boat parks a crazy distant from shore and tells you that you have 1 hour. We grabbed a boat and I grabbed snorkel crap (Denis had his own, pretty much a professional snorkeler) and we headed to shore. Walked through the bush and found a cool spot that wasn't as ridiculously busy. Started snorkeling and man....it was awesome! I've never snorkeled before, there are some crazy things down there and amazing colors of fish and reef. I had to learn how to dive down deep, then blow all the water out before taking another breath....I panicked a few times :) Denis went through a cave....so I followed...bad idea. I wasn't low enough, water came up and smashed me against the ceiling. I got cut in like 10 spots, my ass cheek was the worst. It looked worse than it actually was. Got back to the boat and found the world's worst first aid kit. Put some brown crap on it, and one band aid...the only band aid of the kit. My dollar store first aid kit was better.
Maya Bay..."the beach"...oooohhh
me and my bum...and cool brown stuff...hahahaha



Parted ways with Denis the next day, arrived in Phuket. Spent most of the day buying a bus ticket, renting a motorbike, and searching for accommodation. Phuket is big, many different beaches on this island. Drove all the way to Patong beach, accommodation was too expensive, it's high season so prices are double. Drove all the way back to Phuket town, finally finding a place. Left Ko Phi Phi at 9am, sat down and FINALLY took my big bag off at 4pm....fell asleep. I was planning on driving to Patong to see the night madness there, but I would've got lost in the dark, and MacDonald's was calling me :) Today I toured the island, actually very beautiful.



got in trouble for this one...

I'm off to Bangkok tonight, picking up Kristen and her friend Jen at the airport on the 10th. I'm more than a little excited :)

Thailand

Left Langkawi yesterday with a guy I met at the hostel named Dennis, we took a ferry to Thailand. As soon as we arrived I was appointed the bargainer for a group of 6 people for exchange rates and a price for taking a bus to Krabi. Arrived in Krabi last night with a couple from Germany, ended up staying at the same place. I've noticed that Krabi is definitely more expensive than the rest of SE Asia, maybe because it's peak season here....hard to barter.

We took a touristy tour today, first went on a trek riding on elephants, then off to a cool pool, then kayaking through a canyon type thing. It was actually pretty fun, hard to watch as they smack the elephants though, or poke them with their sharp sticks.


Group in our touristy day.

Cool pool that wasn't very wide....but it was like 200metres deep!!