Shades of Nature: Thailand...Finally!

It is now almost exactly 3 months since I very first entered Thailand. Time has gone by so fast! I stopped blogging and even putting pictures up on Facebook because it simply took too much time and was too frustrating. It would take 2 hours to load the pictures and then when they were almost loaded the computer would freeze (or some very similar story). I just decided to give up and write about it all at home. Yes, I have been back for a month for now, but it really did take me quite a while to adjust to being back. I threw myself back into work and so the time off I now have is usually spent watching movies or TV series (I bought a lot of these on my trip). I wasn't called into work today, so now is as good a time as any.

This is going to be a ver condensed version of my time in Thailand though. I'm sure I have forgotten a lot of things I originally wanted to share, but I also was very tired of hauling my camera everywhere I went. After awhile everything just seemed the same...especially the views and the temples.

I flew to Thailand from Malaysia and entered in Phuket. I wanted to go there to see what damage still remained from the Tsunami. It is incredible because if you didn't what happened then you would never now that anything happened. The area has been up to clean up, rebuild, and move on. There are still a few buildings that remain destroyed, but for the most part the area is as it was before.

That is about all the interest I had in Phuket. The main attractions in this area are the beaches and the clubs. I was beached out from Indonesia and I wasn't there to party. I did go to one Go-Go with a hostel-mate I met there. He is actually from Calgary. However, I didn't stay long. There was no interest there for me and all I could really think about was the pancake I wanted to buy on my walk home. I went crazy for pancakes (crepes) while I was there. I always got mine with Nutella and fresh coconut. I mean really fresh too. It was still wet!

I did some exploring around some of the main southern attractions. Krabbi, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Samui, Ko Pha ngan; These are tourist areas and while they are beautiful they aren't what I wanted (no full moon partying for me). I did visit a meditation school in Ko Pha ngan. That was a great experience. Also the Pad Thai in these areas was of great interest...delicious!

After the south I took a bus...a very long ride...to Bangkok. I spent the day wandering around Bangkok and mostly Khao San road. Then it was over to Chinatown to catch a train to Chang Mai. Though Chang Mai was the only Northern destination I made I am convinced that it is better than the south. The landscape is completely different and I felt more at home there. The people in the south are quite rude. I can't say I blame them though. I think the Thai people put up with a lot from the tourists. Maybe they are just getting a little sick of it. The north is also a few degrees cooler and that was very welcome.

A temple in Chang Mai

Getting off the train in Chang Mai was a bit daunting and took me awhile to get oriented. I met a few peole at the station and managed to find someone to share a tuk tuk with me; Simon from England. We managed to find a cheap place to stay the offered a lot of fun things to do at cheap prices. I took a cooking class here. Though I don't think I got much out of it. It was six dishes in four hours with a trip to the market squeezed in there as well. The food was great though. Here I also did a jungle trek. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Our guide was a Burmese man who goes by two names; Tong and Drunk Tong. Our trek consisted of elephant rides, hiking, a night in a Karen Village (the Karen people are Burmese refugees), and then more hiking followed by "white water rafting." The night in the village was my favorite. We slept a small hike away from the main village so as not to disturb the elders. We had great food and a great time. Drunk Tong is very entertaining. In the morning Tong was moving much slower than the day before.

I had one more night in Chang Mai and then it was off to Bangkok again. I met a lot of people on the trek and 2 of the girls I met were also heading to Bangkok, so we in the morning we bought our tickets and did some last minute things there. I got 2 more tattoos. I really, really wanted to get a bamboo tattoo while I was in Thailand. So, I did. I got 2 small ones; one on my left foot that means Karma, and one on my left wrist that is the symbol for Om (the most basic meditation mantra). Then we found a tuk tuk to take us to the bus station. Amy and Kathy and most of our bags in the back, and me in the front squished up next to the driver with a couple bags on my lap. The driver was such a nice man from Laos, even though it did turn out that he left Laos because he killed 2 men. Apparently they deserved it...in his own words. I asked him in my nicest, most innocent, and yet humored voice if we were "quite safe with him?" His reply was "of course." Upon dropping us he said that we were nice and as he was shaking my hand he told me to keep smilng and that he would always remember us. He really was a nice man!

In Bangkok Kathy and I treated ourselves to a day on the town. We got ice cream sundaes, walked around a "mall," went to Hard Rock Cafe and spent 2 days of budget on food. Then we went to Khao San Road for some pampering; a Fish Therapy foot massage, a pedicure, a facial, and a Thai massage. I have never been so uncomfortable. The girls are incredibly strong and the contort your bodies in ways I never imagined. It felt good afterwards though. I slept sound that night and woke up early to catch my flight to Vietnam.

I know I breezed through the first half of my trip, but it honestly just wasn't that interesting. The food and the medidation school is really the only thing worth talking about. Oh, excpet for Peter. Peter is a Thai artist I met. I went to his "studio" and saw some of his work. It really is amazing. I wish I could've bought something from him. He said he has a website and gave me his card though. Once I find his card I will post the website. His work is amazing!

So, there you have it...Thailand in a nut shell. Pictures forthcoming. I hope to write about Vietnam soon.

Love love.