So after a harrowing bus journey, Amy and I arrived in Pai, which is three hours north of Chiang Mai. We fell in love with the place pretty much right away. We’re so glad we came even though that meditation man told us it was a shitty touristy party town with bad food (WTF??).
Here are the top 5 reasons why it may actually be the best place in the world:1) Everyone is SO freaking friendly!! – people here don’t let you walk by without coming to say hello and maybe having some food or a drink. There are no snotty travelers here – everyone is just…nice. It’s so refreshing. 2) It is breathtakingly gorgeous – yesterday, Amy and I rented motorbikes and went around Pai. Here are just a few of the shots we took (keeping in mind that the camera doesn’t even do it justice). 3) The food is delicious! – We asked some expats (who always know the best places to eat) where the best food in Pai was, and we were recommended Na’s Kitchen. It was, without a doubt, the best meal I’ve had in Thailand, and that’s saying a lot. It’s not like I’m a veteran or anything, but having been eating Thai food for nearly a month and a half now, I think I have a pretty good idea what fab Thai food tastes like. Not only was Na’s Kitchen amazing, but Divine Café serves a huge, delicious yogurt, fruit and muesli, and the grocery store sells the best oatmeal cookies I’ve tasted since my Mom’s. 4) It’s so spiritual – you can get your yoga on, have a reiki course, get your shakras balanced, spend a day in Divine Café with their spiritual library, learn about crystal power, and all that hippie stuff that the West Coast of Canada goes nuts for – it’s also a top spot for detoxing (especially judging by all the signs we’ve seen for Narcotics Anonymous). 5) It’s not a tourist trap – well, not if you come in October. Apparently in December and January, an abundance of people take over Pai, but now there are few people, and it’s got a really chill vibe. You kind of feel like you’ve got the place to yourself.
So yeah, those are just some of the reasons why I love Pai. Did I mention that I love Pai?
Last Updated ( Friday, 30 October 2009 15:22 )
Well we’ve spent a good few days in Chiang Mai and now we’re heading up to a place called Pai. I’ve really enjoyed Chiang Mai. The locals are super nice, and so are the expats (except for this one really horrible American guy but that’s a different story). Amy and I met these two Spanish doctors, Pedro and Julio, in Sukhothai (where we stayed for one night before coming up to Chiang Mai). The four of us had got along really well, so we headed up to Chiang Mai together, and we ended up hanging out quite a bit. They are “la Ostia” (as they taught me to say). 
There is tons to do in Chiang Mai, from trekking, to elephant tours (see last post), to cooking classes (we had one booked for yesterday but we didn’t get home until 5am the night before and we were a bit hung over when we woke up, so we cancelled), to meditation courses (we took one from a lovely Czech expat and his half-Thai son last night – it was incredible!), to having your fortune told (did that too from some guy on the side of the road whose English was quite limited – apparently Amy is going to be married at 29 and have two kids, and she is to avoid motorcycles; I am going to be married – get this – next year! And have THREE kids…both of us are to avoid whiskey), to the night bazaar full of amazing painters and fun Thai souvenirs, to catching a Muay Thai match (did that the other night – a Canadian was fighting a Thai and oh YEAH he won – it was definitely because of Amy and my Canada bandanas and tattoos). You’d never get bored here, and if you do, you just aren’t trying. The nightlife in Chiang Mai is pretty bumpin’. We really enjoyed the Rooftop Bar, where we played “I Never” with the Spanish boys and a big group of guys from Britain. We really liked Riverside Pub, where all the locals go, and the live band rocks Nirvana, Green Day, and other 80s babies favourites every night of the week. Fabric nightclub was not my favourite place – as I said to Amy, it was like Japan on steroids, and they charge foreigners (and only foreigners) 300 baht entrance fee. We really wanted to hit up this club called Heaven Beach but for some reason, none of the tuktuk drivers or locals knew where it was. We’ve been staying at this backpacker’s hostel called Julie’s Guesthouse. I wouldn’t exactly recommend it. It’s not very clean, and definitely the noisiest place I’ve stayed at in my entire five months in Southeast Asia. The restaurant/ pool table lounge area is always packed full of backpackers – which can be fun sometimes, and annoying other times. The first night, our room had a vague hint of urine smell, but we moved rooms after that and it’s been fine. The restaurant, however, does make the best muesli-fruit-yogurt I’ve had yet. One cool thing about Chiang Mai is that you meet tons of cool people. It seems like most of the travelers that come here are fairly seasoned and can offer good advice. We’ve been chatting with quite a few backpackers who all seem to say that Pai – a town three hours north of here – is among the best places they’ve been in Thailand. The thing is, it’s completely lacking in Thai culture. It’s a sort of spiritual/party retreat that draws backpackers by the dozen. Our meditation teacher told us last night that he avoids it and recommends that everyone do the same. But we’d like to see the place and draw our own conclusions. Then we’ll probably head into Laos on October 6th or 7th.
Last Updated ( Friday, 30 October 2009 15:22 )
“Oh. It’s kind of like riding a horse.” This is what Lucy, a girl taking part in the Magical Elephant Tour I went on Friday, said as she sat at the top of the ginormous wonder of leathery grey mass that is an elephant.
We all kind of looked at her, and one guy said what we were all thinking. “It’s NOTHING like riding a horse!!”
Elephants are really, really big. Like, you really wouldn’t want one of them to step on your toe. And they are so beautiful. Their skin is so rough and thick, and covered in hair as coarse as dead grass.
And they move soooo sllllloooooowwwwlyyyyy.
After we’d changed into our very stylish elephant training clothes, we started the day by learning about the elephants and how to train them. There are two types of elephants in the world, we learned. African elephants, and Asian elephants. The Asian elephants are, surprise surprise, the smaller of the two. (I wonder what North American elephants would look like if we had them? Would they eat paper bills instead of leaves, and go nuts on St. Patricks day?).
We learned the Thai commands for getting the elephants to do what you want them to:
Song Ka, soong! – to get them to lift their front foot so that you can get on the elephant
Pe pe pe pe (while sticking the somewhat sharp end of a hook into the side of their ear and kicking their side with your foot) – to get them to turn either left or right)
How (while placing the hook lightly on their forehead) – to get them to stop
Pai (while placing the hook horizontally on their forehead and kicking their sides with your feet) – to get them to go forwards
Toy (while leaning backwards) – to get them to go backwards
Now we were ready to meet the elephants. We were given bags of bananas and sugar cane. We broke off big chunks of banana bunches and put them – skin and all – into the elephants mouths. They happily raised their trunks and opened their mouths to allow us easy access.
Then we took turns getting on the elephants. We were all apprehensive as he taught us. “Make sure to grip the ear with your right hand, and this flap of skin with your left,” our guide explained.
“Then you say Song Ka Soooong!” And the elephant magically lifts her foot, onto which you can step, and then you fling your body around the top and skooch forwards until you’re sitting on her neck.
It wasn’t as hard as it looked.
Soon we were riding around obstacle courses on our elephants like pros. Well, when I say obstacle courses, I mean two trees, but give me a break – these were gigantic animals we were navigating with!
The coolest part of the day was the jungle trek we did on the backs of our elephants. I shared an elephant with Lucy – she’s actually a very sweet girl. Our elephant’s name was Hamie, and Hamie liked to press her ears back into the knees of the person on the front, and squeeze them. I’m not sure if she was protecting us, or trying to squeeze our legs off.
It was so peaceful, riding on the backs of these mystical creates, slowly making our way through the jungle. Every so often, the beasts would stop to pull a piece of a banana tree with their trunk, curling it up to their mouths.
When we returned to the camp, it was time for a bath. Not for us – for the elephants. We traipsed into what was basically watery mud (with I’m sure all kinds of other stuff I don’t even want to think about), up to our knees and scrubbed our elephants with big brushes. I can’t imagine how clean they actually got, but they seemed to enjoy the attention. The scary part was when they stood up, and we were right beside them. You don’t get to tell an elephant when their bath is over, you see – they decide that part. And it’s a big nerve-racking when they just all decide to leave the bath and you’re in the middle of it. But anyways, we survived.
It was a beautiful experience and I’m so glad I got to do it. I should also mention that the park I went to takes special care of the elephants, and does not separate the babies from their mothers like so many other parks do.
Last Updated ( Friday, 30 October 2009 15:23 )
This is my 100th blog post!!!!! It's incredible to imagine that 99 posts ago, I was sitting at my kitchen table in Canada, writing about my anxieties and apprehensions and excitements for the exciting trip I was about to take. I hadn't yet crossed a crazy Manila street, gone into the mountains with witches, almost died on a sketchy Indonesian boat ride, seen a Komodo dragon, scaled a dark cave (or two) deep in the forest, or eaten a silk worm larvae. In honour of such an event, I thought today's blog would take on a more philosophical tone. A friend of mine asked me today if I am a traveler or a wanderer. This friend of mine is prone to asking questions that seep under my skin and stay there, and irk my brain until I am able to find an answer – which I rarely do.
But this is a question that I think is worth posing. What makes a traveler? What differs a traveler from a tourist? A traveler from a wanderer? A nomad from a traveler?
I wonder this to myself as I sit at the top of my five months traveling Southeast Asia. Notice I say traveling, not touring.
Naturally, I googled the question. Unfortunately, all I got was a bunch of movie listings for “The Time Traveler’s Wife”.
Let’s head over to dictionary.com for some definitions.
Now, tour is both a noun and a verb. I like the definitions given to the noun:
1. a traveling around from place to place. 2. a long journey including the visiting of a number of places in sequence, esp. with an organized group led by a guide.
So touring could apply, but it seems to imply that the tourer has a set itinerary and/or a rigid schedule.
Travel is more appropriately used as a verb:
1. to go from one place to another, as by car, train, plane, or ship; take a trip; journey: to travel for pleasure. 2. to move or go from one place or point to another.
This is more direct – it is the simple act of moving from one place to another. Essentially, in this respect, everyone is a traveler.
Wander is a neat verb. These two definitions were most appropriate:
1. to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander: The river wanders among the rocks. 2. to stray from a path, place, companions, etc.
So wander seems to imply that there is no purpose to the travel, no set itinerary.
I would say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I am a traveler: I am traveling from one place to another, with clear goals in mind, and written down. I don’t follow any kind of schedule, but I am certainly far from aimless.
All three categories certainly have their merits, though "tourist" is oft used as a dirty word among backpackers (the reverse is also true).
So, what are you? Are you a tourist, a traveler, or a wanderer?
Last Updated ( Friday, 30 October 2009 15:23 )
Having been traveling in Thailand for nearly a month now, I have developed a series of questions that pop into my brain every once in a while. I have not yet been able to get any concrete answers to them, so I am going to post them here, and it will inspire me to dig deeper so that I can write another post complete with answers.
1. Why aren’t Thais allowed into so many of the places frequented by foreigners? So often you will see a sign in a guesthouse or other establishment that will read ‘no Thais allowed’, even though the place is clearly owned and run by Thais. What’s up with that? Another example is a party that Amy and I saw advertised in Haad Rin, where on the flyer it read ‘for your safety, only Westerners and other foreigners will be allowed access to this party’.
2. What’s with all the lady boys? Are there more transsexuals in Thailand than in other places, or is it just more accepted here?
3. Does anyone actually like Thai massage? Because pretty much all the foreigners I’ve spoken to about it say that it feels like getting what we used to call in elementary school (and is so un-PC) an ‘indian sunburn’ (ie. They’re pulling on your skin and it feels like burning). Thai massages are, in my opinion, more painful than fun.
4. I have to be veeeeery careful how I phrase this, so here it goes. What is the reasoning behind the complete and utter devotion to the king? Where does it come from, and to what extent is it a reflection of the citizens’ private feelings?
5. What’s up with the Thai rock concerts being blasted out of the bus’ TV at 2am?
6. Is there a true Thai affinity with Bob Marley, or is it an act for the tourists? Bob – he’s freaking everywhere. Having been in Thailand for a month, I can now recite every word to every single Bob Marley song out there. Every bar you go into has a huge Bob Marley poster, and they often has his album on constant rotation. I’m actually going to make a T-shirt that says ‘No More Bob’ with a big X through Bob Marley’s face (may he rest in peace).
7. Why are tuktuks more expensive than metered taxis? They’re far less comfortable in every possible way, you can’t see out of them, and they take far longer. Why would anyone ever pay more for a tuktuk, other than to do it once as a ‘fun tourist thing’?
8. Why must Thai women use western toilets like squats, leaving droplets of urine all over the toilet seat? Sit the f*** down!! Sorry. But it’s really disgusting. And often you’ll even see a sign on the back of the door saying ‘Do not stand on toilet seat’. God knows why it’s written in English and not Thai, because I’m quite sure it’s not the Western women who are standing on the toilet seat.
9. What the heck is that inhaler thing I always see Thai people sniffing at? It looks like a Vicks peppermint inhaler that you breathe through your nose to relieve congestion, but I’m pretty sure that’s not what it is. I suspect that it’s a drug of some sort, but I have never seen anyone do it who I thought might speak a lick of English, so I’ve never been able to ask.
10. How much alcohol, per square inch, has been absorbed into the sands of Haad Rin beach? Because I would think the amount would be substantial. Haad Rin beach, in case you forget, is where the Full Moon Party is held each month on Koh Phagnan. There is a party on Haad Rin beach every night of the year. At least once a month, the Full Moon Party attracts upwards of 10,000 people. That’s a lot of potential alcohol spillage.
Amy and I went and laid down on Haad Rin beach (one time, and one time only) before the Full Moon Party, and when we got up, Amy found that her sarong reeked of alcohol. That’s when it occurred to me that the beach must be soaked in it. I guess alcohol evaporates, but at what speed if it’s covered in sand and sweaty bodies?
Last Updated ( Friday, 30 October 2009 15:24 )
|
It happened on Saturday: the heaviest rains in 40 years ravaged the Filipino capital of Manila, turning the streets into rivers that reach the second floor of apartment buildings.
According to a friend of mine in the Philippines, all flights to Manila have been cancelled. He is desperate to get to his family in Manila, who, like so many of Manila’s citizens, are stranded and in terrible need of food, water, and supplies.
Another friend of mine in Makati tells me that the devastation is unimaginable. The rains came so fast, she said, and the disaster council was totally unprepared for it.
Tropical Storm Ketsana has flooded an incredible 80 percent of Manila. Anyone who’s ever been to Manila will know that this is a huge expanse.
The government has declared a state of disaster, but last I heard they still refuse to accept international help. Meanwhile, 106 people have died (my friend also told me that bodies are floating in the dirty water) and families are standing on rooftops to avoid a similar fate.
I have been extremely disappointed at the lack of coverage the event has gotten in international news. When I typed "Manila floods" into Google this morning, the first result was an article from 2008. Only later this afternoon did the BBC get a story on it. The Huffington Post does have a very helpful article now offering advice on how you can help. Check it out here. But if you do nothing else, at least take the time to care about this terrible event.
Last Updated ( Sunday, 27 September 2009 17:48 )
Any true Southeast Asia backpacker knows about Khao San Rd. It is THE backpacker hangout. Any time of day, you'll find it bustling with people baring 40lb backpacks, and hawkers selling everything under the sun. Need a fake ID/driver's liscence/press pass/degree? Get it on Khao San. 
I totally got in trouble for taking this photo but it was worth it
Need some very nice and cheap jewelry? You're in the right spot. 
How about some sunglasses/dresses/pants/body suits/ pipes/ lighters/ bandanas/ braids/ massages/ CDs/ DVDs/ tattoos/ pad thai/ paintings/ fake Tevas/ notebooks/ buddha statues/ alarm clocks/ flash lights? It's all there...and more. Hungry? You can pick up some pretty incredible pad thai on Khao San Rd - prices range from 25 - 45 baht (under or over $1 USD). You can also get super cheap mango/sticky rice - a Thai delicacy (and it's sooo yummy for about 20-25 baht). Those trying to eat away their hang over will love to mow down on the spring rolls which come at about 10 baht a piece. 
You won't get down Khao San without being harassed numerous times by various people selling various things. They'll tell you you're beautiful, try to shake your hand, ask you where you're going - best advice is to be polite, smile, and tell them you're not interested, but don't slow down or they won't let you go. At night time, the road takes on a different flavour. The tuktuk drivers begin to offer rides to the Ping Pong show (a show that has NOTHING to do with ping pong, and is more of an acrobatic strip show). The guys that were trying to sell you suits will now try to get you to come get drunk in their bars. But it's all part of the Khao San experience. 
My advice for backpackers headed to Khao San Road:1) Don't stay ON Khao San - head over to Rambuttri, cross the main road and turn the corner - it's so much calmer and has a much cooler vibe. 2) Keep it short and sweet - Khao San is fun for the first few days...any longer and it gets overwhelming and repetitive. I began to loathe walking down Khao San by the end of my stay there...whereas I loved it at the start. 3) Buy all your souvenirs/ gifts here - it's the cheapest you're going to find in Thailand.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 03 November 2009 15:26 )
The fact that Amy and I ate silk worm larvae on Khao San Rd. last Monday is funny for two reasons: 1) We're eating bugs. That's always funny. 2) We were later told that actually, Thai people don't eat bugs at all. It's just something stupid tourists do. Charming. Here's the evidence: (Yes, I am video-happy right now, but whatevs it's fun) The experience was, overall, unpleasant, as I'm sure you can tell from our facial expressions in the video. Silly Amy put the camera sideways while she was filming me, which is why I had to do it again (in case you didn't catch the commentary). The silk worms had been fried, with no oil necessary since they are full of fat anyways. I felt like their innards were bursting in my mouth, and that is probably because they were. It's not an experience I would like to repeat. Our Canadian friend Scott (seen in the video), however, happily munched away the rest of the bag.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 September 2009 07:57 )
Trudging through incredibly disgusting street water that came as part of Saturdays flash floods in Bangkok, septic bacteria seeping into the open wounds on my feet, I thought to myself that Grandma must be having a good giggle at me up in heaven. Amy and I had taken a tuktuk to one of the few Catholic churches in downtown Bangkok after hearing that my Grandmother had passed away that morning at 96 years of age. She was Catholic, so I wanted to go say a prayer for her in a proper venue. But the rain started to pour as we bumped our way down the bustling streets in our tuktuk, and the tuktuk driver just said "uh-oh". Then the monsoon came. We ran into a nearby mall (the tuktuk driver had no idea where the church was, but we were on the right street, so we figured we'd wait out the rain). The rain thrashed down for about an hour, and we watched out the windows as cars clugged through the streets, water up to the tops of their tires. I looked down at my flip-flop bearing, cut up feet (a result of being raked against the corals after capsizing our kayak in Railay) and shuttered to think about the horrible bacteria and diseases crawling through the street water that would surely get into my bloodstream (the cuts were pretty deep). "Oh well," I said, as the rain slowed (but the streets didn't drain), "let's go get gangrene!" Amy, bless her heart, offered to piggy back me through the streets, but we both decided that my feet were bound to get wet, and I would just clean my cuts really well with alcohol. It was even more gross than I could have imagined. You couldn't see to the bottom of the water, even though it was only about two feet deep, and random things (god knows what) kept brushing against our legs. At one point, a used condom floated by. We squealed our way all the way down the road to the church. You can see some of our experience here (apologies for the shitty cinematography):
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 23 September 2009 09:30 )
Here are some videos from our Railay adventure last week. This is Munis, the bartendar at Small World Bar, who is 22 and has been fire dancing for only three years. He's won numerous competitions all across Thailand. You can see why. This is Amy playing the Digereedoo, or however you spell it, and then you get to meet Chai Tea - very cool and chilled out dude, and owner of Small World Bar. Finally, we have Amy morphed into Spiderman, climbing a limestone cliff. Yes Mom, I know all the videos are of Amy or other people, but soon Amy will get her camera fixed and there will be far more videos with my face in them than you can handle.
Last Updated ( Saturday, 19 September 2009 16:00 )
|
|
Editor's Blog
