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June 30, 2005
Another road to Bangkok
(Day 133) (After returning from Laos) "Vientienne is too big to have any charm, but too small to have anything interesting to do," a fellow traveller once told me. Looking around for a few hours the previous evening, I knew exactly what she was talking about. The temples were nothing spectacular, and I was suffering from wat overdose anyways. I had seen enough of the Mekong, and didn't need another meal with a riverside setting. After a refreshing night's sleep, I was ready to hit the road on another long journey to Bangkok.
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Posted by markyiin at 08:24 AM | Comments (9)
June 29, 2005
Not a fun ride
(Day 132) I had thought about staying on Phonsavanh another day, so I wasn't spending every other day on a bus. Distances between towns aren't very far, but travel by land still requires several hours, eating up an entire day. However, with the only internet cafe in town being expensive and torturously slow, I decided I would be happier moving on.
Sean and Charlotte (from my Plain of Jars tour yesterday) had managed to secure a ride to the bus station from the guesthouse owner, so at 6:00am, I was waiting out front to join them.
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Posted by markyiin at 08:36 AM | Comments (4)
The Plain of Jars
(Day 131) Like Stonehenge, the Plain of Jars remains one of the world's unsolved mysteries. The huge stone containers are obviously man-made, but no one knows when they were built, and who built them. With the smallest weighing several tons, and made from stone not found locally, one wonders, how did they get here, and most importantly, why would the creators have gone through the trouble? Some have speculated that they might've been used for storing food, or as containers for cremated remains. Recent evidence has pointed in the direction of the latter, but the case is far from closed.
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Posted by markyiin at 07:50 AM | Comments (2)
June 27, 2005
A poor country
(Day 130) The bus pulled over on the side of the road. I roused from my daydreaming and looked at my watch. 10:30am. Still too early for lunch. And we were in the middle of nowhere. Why did we stop?
Someone said something in Lao. A couple guys stood up. Maybe we stopped for them to get off. Then everyone else started to get up. Even the driver. What was going on?
Not wanting to be left behind, I followed the crowd. No one took their luggage, so I left my own aboard too. The passengers started walking in different directions. Into the bush. And... oh, toilet break!
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Posted by markyiin at 11:23 PM | Comments (3)
Luang Prabang
(Day 129) Luang Prabang is one of the most enchanting towns I've stayed in. Built where two great rivers meet, encircled by forest covered mountains, the location is perfect. French colonial architecture existing in harmony with Buddhist temples. Unesco knew what it was doing when it decided to give the town a World Heritage listing.
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Posted by markyiin at 07:14 AM | Comments (6)
Another day on the Mekong
(Day 128) No one seemed to know when the boats would leave.
"8:30?" suggested my guesthouse owner.
"Maybe 9:00?" speculated a fellow traveller.
"I heard 7:30," claimed another.
I didn't worry too much about it though, and took my time eating breakfast. As long as there were other foreigners walking the streets, I was sure I had time.
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Posted by markyiin at 07:03 AM | Comments (0)
June 25, 2005
Cruising down the river
(Day 127) Laos, pronounced with a silent 's', is the only country in southeast asia without a coastline. A network of rivers, including the mighty Mekong, make up for the lack of oceanfront property. Any visit to the country would be incomplete without a ride on one of the slowboats plying the waterways.
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Posted by markyiin at 05:54 AM | Comments (4)
My first river border
(Day 126) Some of Deer's coworkers were coming to town for a meeting, and were expecting to be able to stay at her home, as they normally do. Though I was no longer a secret to her friends and family, she wasn't quite ready to introduce me to her teammates. As a pretty bachelorette, there was a great interest in her personal life, and she didn't want rumors to start swirling around the office.
"I want you to stay here, but I'm worried my coworkers will be able to read my feelings," she had confessed.
I solved her dilemma by offering to stay downtown for a few nights until they left. She agreed to this suggestion. Her family probably wasn't aware of what was going on, and when they saw me loading my bags into the back of her SUV, thought I was again leaving for good. The language barrier prevented me from conversing much with Deer's mom during my stay, but that didn't prevent her giving me several hugs, as if that would change my mind. Deer packed a few things herself, and the whole family smiled and waved as turned onto the dark rural roads. We found a hotel in Chiang Rai where we spent the night. Day 126 didn't begin until we woke up the next morning.
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Posted by markyiin at 05:35 AM | Comments (0)
June 23, 2005
Some things never change
(Day 125) Compared to the furious pace of Bangkok, this was the perfect setting to unwind. Everything moved at a soothing pace. Sitting in the shade in a cooling breeze... time just seemed to fly by.
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Posted by markyiin at 09:25 AM | Comments (17)
Doi Tung
(Day 124) "You haven't been working very hard lately." Ever since I came back, she appeared to have an awful lot of spare time.
"What day is it today?" asked Deer.
"Sunday."
"Good, that means I can relax today. Let's go to mountains this afternoon."
Posted by markyiin at 09:19 AM | Comments (1)
Just relaxing
(Day 123) I'm going to be selfish and do nothing blogworthy for a couple days. Not that it's been boring. It's quite an experience. How many visitors to Thailand can say they've been invited to stay in someone's home indefinately? But when I take out my notebook at night and try to summarize the day, I realize there isn't much left after I've filtered out all the mushy bits.
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Posted by markyiin at 09:18 AM | Comments (0)
Home away from home
(Day 122) It's all part of the excitement, not knowing where I'll spend the night and sometimes not finding out until after the sun sets. I've slept in so many places that it no longer startles me to wake up and not recognize my surroundings immediately. Some places have been more pleasant than others. I enjoyed my stay in Singapore, even when there wasn't much to do. Papillon guesthouse in the Cameron Highlands was as warm and inviting as any I've stayed at. But when we pulled into the countryside driveway near Phaya Mengrai, I really felt like I had returned to my home away from home.
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Posted by markyiin at 09:14 AM | Comments (2)
Scrapping the Hollywood ending
(Day 121) Deer had my guesthouse phone number and called me in my room every night (for the two nights) we were apart. "Today I went to Chiang Saen," she'd say. "And tomorrow I'm going to Mae Ai. If you were here, I could show you around."
Chiang Mai is a charming place with plenty to visit. One could spend days, exploring the attractions in and around town. But the thought of exploring less visited areas of northern Thailand appealed to me more than taking part in the booming hill tribe trekking and sight seeing tours.
"I'll be on the first bus to Chiang Rai tomorrow," I told her. "Pick me up at the bus station?"
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Posted by markyiin at 09:05 AM | Comments (0)
June 20, 2005
Chiang Mai
(Day 120) In 1295, King Mengrai from Chiang Rai, King Ngam from Payao, and King Ruang from Sukhothai, began construction of a new city, now known as Chiang Mai. Its become the place to visit for people wishing experience some of Thailand's rich heritage. With over 300 temples to delight cultural travellers and a cool climate to explore them in, it's no wonder why many people prefer it to the gaudy Bangkok.
Posted by markyiin at 11:21 PM | Comments (6)
Leaving Chiang Rai
(Day 119) Neither of us set the alarm, and with my watch in my backpack, we didn't realize it was past noon until reception called asking when we were expecting to check out.
"15 minutes," I told them, and hastily gathered my things. After returning the room key, it was off to the bus station.
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Posted by markyiin at 01:40 AM | Comments (9)
A quick trip to Burma
(Day 118) Breakfast consisted of sticky rice with some sort of vegetable paste. An omlette was prepared on my behalf, as my hosts wasn't sure if I could stomach the local cuisine. This turned out to be unnecessary though. I found the Thai breakfast delicious.
"Do you have any clothes that need to be washed?" asked Deer.
"No, not really." My clothes were still wearable, and I didn't want my presence to create any more work for anyone.
But my words fell on deaf ears. She gave some brief orders to her niece, who emptied out my bag and brought my clothes out back for handwashing.
"They'll be done when we get back."
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Posted by markyiin at 01:30 AM | Comments (1)
June 18, 2005
Living in the countryside
(Day 117) "Your family knows I'm coming?" We had spent the night at the hotel, and now were headed back to Deer's home.
"I think my sisters (in Bangkok) already called home," joked Deer. "Mom is waiting for you."
We had lunch in a small shop across the street from the hotel. My host ordered for me, as I couldn't read the menu. Seafood in Thailand is world famous, but the fish we had, caught fresh from the local rivers and cooked in a variety of exotic herbs, was even better. I kept telling myself how lucky I was to have someone show me places that would sadly never make it in the Lonely Planet.
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Posted by markyiin at 06:54 AM | Comments (6)
VIP
(Day 116) A lot had to be done the night before. I had to check out of my guesthouse and move my things. Deer had to pick something to wear and pack. We didn't get to sleep until midnight. And when the alarms went off at 4:00am in the morning, I was thinking: Why did I agree to go to Chiang Rai again?
I'm sure my presence caused some ripples in the household. Deer never had guests over, and so for some stranger to be sleeping in the living room must've been a big shock. Her sisters, who usually slept on the couch, moved somewhere else, which made me feel a bit guilty, but I was assured it was alright. It's only for one night, she told me.
Posted by markyiin at 06:49 AM | Comments (0)
June 17, 2005
11th hour decisions
(Day 115) Deer handed me a plastic bag with something in it.
"For you," she said.
I looked inside. A pair of jeans?!
"Try it on. If it's the wrong size we can still exchange it."
The tags were still on it, and curiosity got the better of me. I snuck a look at the price and had to practice enormous self control to prevent a look of shock from registering on my face. Still inexpensive by American standards, this wasn't the cheap US$3 pants I've been wearing.
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Posted by markyiin at 10:12 AM | Comments (6)
June 15, 2005
Easing my fears
(Day 114) Bangkok has its fair share of attractions to keep one occupied. From riding a slow river taxi down the Mae Nam Chao Phraya to visiting the cultural gems in the Ko Ratanakosin area. From partying away the night in the neon-lit entertainment districts, to taking in a muay thai fight at the Lumphini or Ratchadamnoen boxing stadiums. All these (and many others) were on my to-do list, but there was no rush to get them checked off. I had developed an interest in Deer, and wanted to spend as much time as possible with her before the weekend, when she'd return home to Chiang Rai.
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Posted by markyiin at 01:36 PM | Comments (10)
Who is this person?
(Day 113) I gave Deer a call, as I said I would. It was well past 10:00am, but she had just gotten out of the shower and had not yet gone into the office.
"Good morning, Deer." Man, that still felt weird to say.
"Hi, Mark," she said happily from the other end. "How are you this morning?"
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Posted by markyiin at 01:06 AM | Comments (6)
Loneliness in Bangkok
(Day 112) Bangkok has to be one of the most popular destinations for travellers. Tourists are everywhere. But despite being surrounded by fellow backpackers, Bangkok is a very lonely place for people travelling by themselves. Solo travellers are undoubtedly around, but difficult to meet as we get lost in the crowd of package tourists and people who came in groups. Fortunately, I had collected emails of some Thai people I've met in my time in Krabi and Phuket. I fired off a few emails, hoping that maybe one of them might respond.
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Posted by markyiin at 01:01 AM | Comments (1)
June 08, 2005
Khao San Road
(Day 111) So I've finally reached Krungthep mahanakhon amonratanakosin mahintara ayuthaya mahadilok popnopparat ratchathani burirom udomratchaniwet mahasathan amonpiman avatansathit sakkathattiya witsanukamprasit. Or Bangkok, for those unable to pronounce the official name.
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Posted by markyiin at 05:26 AM | Comments (27)
The public bus to Bangkok
(Day 110) When it comes to getting around in Thailand, private companies get the business of many travellers. Every guesthouse and travel agency will book them for you, and the reasonable fare includes pickup at wherever you happen to be staying at. All this makes it a convenient option to get from one town to the next.
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Posted by markyiin at 05:20 AM | Comments (2)
June 07, 2005
The James Bond tour
(Day 109) I've never seen "The Man with the Golden Gun," but thanks to the internet, I can figure out the plot. James Bond is targeted by some evil villain with a golden gun, and sets out on a mission to find his assassin. Along the way, he finds out about the Solex Agitator, a device capable of harnessing the energy of the sun, and is then tasked with retrieving it from the hands of the bad guys. Parts of the movie were to take place in China. However, China was a closed country at the time, and so Ao Phang Nga in Thailand was chosen as a replacement set.
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Posted by markyiin at 01:53 AM | Comments (15)
June 06, 2005
From Ko Phi Phi to Phuket
(Day 108) When I left Australia for southeast asia back on Day 73, I expected more difficulty getting from one place to another. 35 days later, I'm still waiting.
A boat took me from Ko Phi Phi back to the mainland, and a sawngthaew transported me from the pier to Krabi town. Thirty minutes later, I was on a van to Phuket (pronounced poo-GET). The timetable indicated departure from Krabi at 11:30am and arrival in Phuket at 2:00am. That hardly made sense. It was only a 175km trip. Was there a ten hour layover somewhere?
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Posted by markyiin at 01:11 AM | Comments (5)
June 04, 2005
The Butterfly Effect
(Day 107) "I feel like the most undedicated volunteer here," I said to Ruth as we stood under an awning, trying to avoid the rain. The island is so small that I ran into her (and Dave) a couple times a day.
"I'm sure there are plenty of people who come here only as tourists and don't bother doing any volunteer work," she replied. Which was probably true. For every traveller that puts off their vacation for weeks to help out, there were several more that only stayed a few days. "They probably appreciate any amount of time you can give them."
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Posted by markyiin at 09:30 AM | Comments (5)
Cleaning up Ko Phi Phi
(Day 106) Lots of rumors concerning the future of Ko Phi Phi has been floating around. They all begin with an evil government conspiracy. How for years, the Thai government has been coveting the island, which is still owned by the locals, and is refusing to rebuild the island in hopes of driving away its residents. It would then be turned into a profitable five star resort for package tourists, or be transformed into a national park. However, to be fair to both sides, all this is merely speculation. The official word is that the Thai government has yet to come up a plan for what to do with Ko Phi Phi.
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Posted by markyiin at 05:56 AM | Comments (2)
June 02, 2005
Arriving on Ko Phi Phi
(Day 105) Before the Boxing Day tsunami, Ko Phi Phi (pronounced Ko Pee Pee) was one of the hottest tourist destinations off the coast of Thailand. While other places, like Phuket, have reportedly rebuilt and become thriving communities, stories from Ko Phi Phi didn't paint as bright a picture. I wasn't sure what to expect upon getting there.
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Posted by markyiin at 05:05 AM | Comments (6)
June 01, 2005
A value meal
(Day 104) There's seems to be an interest my diet on the road. Because of my appetite, I've been lazy about posting what I eat. I eat so often and in such large volumes that my meals could make a separate blog. Back home, I often dined on value meals from McDonald's or Burger King, just because it's easy and cheap. If I recall correctly, a Big Mac value meal costs about five dollars. At the current exchange of 40 baht per dollar, that's the equivalent of 200 baht. Let's see what I can eat in Thailand for 200 baht...
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Posted by markyiin at 09:44 AM | Comments (9)