Christmas and the following malaise

A point I have to clarify - I have just noted that the dates for my blog entries don't correspond to the actual dates that I was doing stuff, so please ignore them! I tried to edit the html for my website, but as they say, a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. I seriously goofed somewhere and had to reset the whole thing. I'm fairly sure that as well as deleting a whole range of important info from my blog, I probably inadvertedly tapped into the pentagon and started some strange war game.... Being the peaceful individual I am, I will not try that again!

Seems the Thai people think that Christmas eve is the day/night that you celebrate and so we did too... Went to a place called the Treehouse (reasonably renowned for being 'alternative' and one of the first backpacker places on Lonely beach). We had some lovely food and it was a good night. So good in fact the the roof caught fire - literally... (isn't that a song?). Someone let off a large firework a little too close to the building and part of it bounced on the deck (the Treehouse streches out over the seaon stilts) behind Jon and a dutch couple we had met called Sophie and Oliver ('hello'!) - they practically had their pants on fire (if that's not a song, it should be!). After a brief sigh of relief on establishing that all were ok, someone piped up with, 'shit - the roof!' which was then followed by an ascending crescendo of similar shouts and a lot of pointing... The roof - you need to understand - was made of dried leaves/palms. It burnt like the very devil himself. Everyone stood up and started to think about leaving (I already had an escape route planned via the sea as I'm good at these [see entry about earthquake]). One girl (Sonja from Germany - 'hello'!) exclaimed, 'grab the buckets, grab the buckets' and promptly did so and disappeared in the direction of the fire. Thank god she didn't get close enough to use them... the 'buckets' were our drinks of Vodka and Sangsom (Thai whiskey) mixes which you generally share as one to yourself may kill you (Thai red bull too). In other words, they were very nearly pure alcohol. Thankfully, someone had the good sense to run up the ladder with a large container of water (not just a small bottle of it as I spotted some poor chap tried and simply dropped the bottle and contents on the burning roof - very helpful) and put the rapidly spreading (it was quite amazing how quickly it went!) fire out. This was met with a big chear and everyone returning to their seats (cushions on the floor - very 70s) and continuing to party.

We danced... we drank more buckets... we danced some more and moved onto to another place (Nature Rocks - not sure if that's meant in the heavey metal sense) and danced and drank some more buckets. We went in the sea (partly accidently) and it was incredibly warm for three o'clock in the morning... we went home and Jon fell out of the hammock when demonstrating to Oliver and Sophie how robust it is. The we went to bed about four am. I suppose you could say it was a novel way to spend christmas eve - the problem was the next day came.... No surpirises about how i felt for most of christmas day... I just can't keep up anymore! It takes me a week to recover (I still am) so the plan to spend the day on the beach then have a slap up meal in the evening was very much appreciated...

Christmas morning at our hut

Jon and I had agreed a 100 Baht budget for 'silly gifts' so we each put this to action and made each other crackers from loo roll holders and newspaper... Only problem was Jon, being the lovely that he is, spent more than the agreed and got me a beautiful amber bracelet! The small elephant key-ring and wobberly 'love-bug' I got him didn't seem to compare. However, the custard cake (shaped like a small burger!) seemed to make up for it and all was well! After opening pressies, we headed for the beach, hammock and frisbie in hand. We were joined by a number of others and enjoyed a few Singas and good tunes until the sun began to set.

On the beach

After sunnning ourselves all day then scrubbing up and actually putting shirts on and the like (very civilized you understand) we (Jon and I, Sophie and Oliver, Alex and Sonja - 'hello all') headed off in the direction of the only 'posh' hotel on Lonely Beach thinking it would be a good place to have a nice christmas day dinner. The musac was tolerable after the joy at discovering they had (to all appearances) nice wine on the menu. We painstakingly chose the tipple of consensus and then enquired about the fish in order to have a real BBQ fish feast (the fish here is amazing - giant prawns and red snapper, barracuda and squid and much more all for about one pound fifty and [usually*] fresh out of the sea that morning). The waiter suggested at this point that we may not want the fish as it was *frozen!!! Imagine our horror - we had found the only place in Thailand that froze it's fish. We rapidly realised that the reason was probably the lack of custom (there were a smattering of people despite being a more grandiose establishment).... The waiter tried to back-track hastily as we made a bee-line for the exit and headed, once again to the Treehouse. It was fantastic there and we had a real feast (where a number of others unexpectedly joined us too) which was made all the better the next day after the reports of food poisoning afflicting all those who ate at the posh place the night before - is that mean? One of the highlights was a present from Polly and Allan (Jon's Mum and Dad) that we had saved until later... it was a small wooden christmas tree that had little ornaments you could hang onto the branches... everyone took a turn at decorating it and I think it reminded us all a little of home and christmas... a big thing especially for those who had been away for a long time...

Christmas meal at the Treehouse

So ended christmas eve and day....

Beautiful Ko Chang!

It's christmas eve and I sit in an internet room watching the crystal blue sea through the gently swaying palm trees.... I have just had banana pancake for breakfast sitting on the beach after a morning swim in a temperature close to bath water. What more can I say? Sorry to those of you who are braving out the British weather!

Lonely Beach view at sunset...

We arrived two days ago (22nd) after what I can only descibe as a bus journey to test my nerves and make me feel quite jet lagged. Leaving at 6pm from Chang Mai, we arrived in Bangkok at 5am. The scam was to drop us off (after waking us with literally seconds to get stuff together and get off the bus - thus causing greater confusion and befuddledness) at an unknown destination a little way from where was origanally stated - strange how all the taxi's and tuk tuks knew we'd be there???! Thankfully, Jon and I had perused the area once before looking for an obscure vegetarian restaurant(honest) and so quickly got our bearings. I do believe many a bewildered soul must have been charged a pretty penny for a five minute journey however!

At 8am we were picked up again for another bus journey that supposidly took five hours. At 4pm(!) we finally arrived at the ferry port on the mainland ready to get the boat across to Ko chang. At 6.30pm - after the songtheweu (shared taxi affair)driver tried another scam by saying one of us hadn't paid (the cheek of it) - we finally arrived at our accomodation. We had a 'Hillside' bungalow reserved and were looking forward to setting up camp for a week without the constant moving. To cut a long story short, the bungalow wasn't exactly peaceful as advertised (right next to a road) or mosi proof (lots of holes/bad single mosi net/large gaps in bathroom)or equiped (no furniture whatsoever other than the beds). A few chats with reception, an extra mosi net, some heavey duty mosi spray and smoke coil, a nifty swipe of a chair from an empty bungalow, a few Singha beer boxes fashioned into tables and the use of earplugs later and it feels more like home! Today we will decorate it with christmas lights and possibly a tree type thing if we can pilfer one from somewhere.

Have met a few others on the taxi drive from the ferry port and will be partying it up with them tonight and tomorrow. Considering an elephant trek for Christmas day, but may opt out for nursing hangovers with the hammock by the sea, music, a massage (can't believe we haven't had one yet!) and a slap-up meal in the evening! Will update this blog with pics etc after xmas day...

For those of you I haven't had time to contact personally by email, make sure you have a fantastic christmas and New year and wrap up warm - I hear the fog is terrible over the there (sorry - tee hee!)..

Pai in the sky

The last couple of days in Chang Mai were great. We recovered from the trek and then we went to the 'walking' market on Saturday night. I have never seen so much stuff to buy in one place and so cheap!! I really wish I could fill a huge bag load. The area around Chaing Mai is renowned for Thai silk and so many of the stalls had the most beautiful silk clothes, cushion covers, throws, scarves and table runners I've seen in a long time. I bought four silk cushion covers for 60p each! It was all I could do to stop myself buying more - I can see how people who import the stuff make a fortune. The silk table runners (the like of which you'd see in habitat of 30 pounds) were about three pounds or less. The market as a whole was fantastic because Thai people out-numbered westerners easily and so you really felt a part of something Thai. There was a real buzz in the air and I've realised I really like markets - especially ones where they have stuff I've never seen before (the food markets are something else as you ponder what fruit or veg or [even animal] you're looking at). The food at this market, once again, was amazing and Jon did his best to eat pretty much everything. He described Thailand as having food 'porn' which I think is a pretty apt way of descibing it...

On Sunday we took the three hour minibus journey along snaking (being careful to remember travel sickness pills!) roads to a place called Pai.

Pai (pronounced Bai) is great. It's quite far north in Thailand so it's actually cold in the evenings and at night... this is a bit wierd for me and my body doesn't know whether it's coming or going in terms of acclimatising. In fact, all the skin on my face is currently falling off (a wierd mental image I'm sure) as it's gone from reasonably cold (UK) bloody boiling (Bangkok) Warm (Chang mai) and now bloody freezing. I dread to think what will happen when we hit Koh Chang in two days (Island off east coast where we'll spend christmas). Back to the point, part of Pai's beauty lies in the etheral feel of the hills surrounding it.... the mist helps too.

The hills surround Pai

Pai is incredibly laid back and full of hippies, so I feel very much at home!! There's lots of tea and cake and healthy eating shops as well as the obligatory street vendors (god - i really must stop shopping!) although many of them are hill tribe people here rather than the regular Thai people. Pai is surrounded by green mountains/hills and the view from just out of town in amazing.

I've been investing in doing nothing much, whilst Jon's become action man of the moment with white-water rafting and bicycle rides to waterfalls and the like. Ended up with some good bruising for his troubles too - I always knew sport was bad for you but no-one ever seems to take heed....

Actually, to say I've been doing nothing is a bit of a lie. Being as I love Thai food so much, I invested in a cooking course the other day at 'Bebe's Wok n' Roll' cooking school (groan) . I made green curry paste from scratch and then a green curry with it. I also made Pad Thai and coconut, lemongrass and prawn soup. Have to say the soup was gooooood! Will have to try out my new culinary skills when I get back (if I ever come back - very tempting not too!) if I can get hold of the ingredients needed... Anyway, it was good to learn about the food, but the people were a little too laid back for me - maybe I'm finanlly realising that I can't sit still, or maybe they were just a bit too 'chilled'? - I don't know, but what I do know is that people being half an hour late and then having breaks every ten minutes (for around 20 minutes) doesn't do much for my patience levels! By the end of the day I was fit to burst... and very hungry! Perhaps this was the idea?

Have also done a little yoga at 'Mam's Yoga' class but have to say James always managed to fit more than five moves into an hour session, so five moves for a two hour session seemed a little too laid back again.. Oh dear, maybe there's a pattern here?!

Off to Chang Mai again tomorrow before heading down to Ko Chang...

Chang Mai

We arrived in Chang mai at 10am after leaving Bangkok the night before at 7.30pm - a mamoth train journey but not the 'epic' I imagined - oh well! We were picked up by the hostel that we had booked into (YHA) and although the room was clean, had aircon, a hot shower and mosi net, it was also at least a 30min walk (remember that heat!) to the main part of town and where everything was happening - it was also expensive at 550 baht a night. We moved today. You live and learn.

Chang Mai is great (still here). It has a moat around the old town where most of the Wats are (temples). We haven't been to any of these as there are so many and you can get a bit 'watted' out, but they are stunning as you walk past. We did visit Doi Suthep Wat (which is on a hill overlooking the city). It was absolutely stunning and had a great view over the valley. The temples here are so beautifully decorated and built, but then I have always liked Asian/Thai archetecture. We got to the wat on a motorbike we hired for the day... was a bit odd riding along in a vest top with a helmet that wobbled so much as it was three sizes too big (sorry mum - it had to be done!). Goes against everything Jon's always said to me about idiots who ride around in very unsafe clothing in the uk... er hem? Anyway, it was good to be out and about once I got over initial jitters. We also visited a place that was good for Thai silk and crafts - some amazing stuff and so cheap... was really annoyed that we got there with enough time to have a quick tea and then had to go... was a bit like having a 'shopping' carrot wafted under my nose. Jon had to practically drag me away by the teeth (or is it the legs?).

During our second night here there was an earthquake (well- strong tremor) which, understandably I think, had me checking for an escape route and making sure I was clothed enough for a quick exit. Jon however rolled over and said, 'go back to sleep Taff - it's only an earthquake' ?????. Man's ability to sleep never ceases to amaze me. There were aftershock tremors too. That didn't help. Nor did the insane barking of all the dogs in Chang Mai directly after each tremor... and the cockerals crowing at 1am. Was all a bit surreal actually and didn't give me the best relaxation and rest for starting out three day/two night trek the next morning - a trek Jon took a long time persuading me was a good idea (I wasn't convinced about the 'getting back to nature' part in the middle of the Thai jungle).

The trek began supposidly at 9.30am when we were picked up from our hostel... in truth we had to pick up other group members, faff about at the office, visit a market for supplies and, most importantly, have lunch before we actually started trekking anywhere... And when we did, I was so glad I'd opted in. The scenery was amazing from the start. We walked past grazing oxen and water buffalo, hill tribe villages, rivers and waterfalls and through the Thai jungle. The group we went with were a mixed bunch of four Japanese (elderly - around 70!) men, a Kiwi/Australian couple (Tim and Carly who I hope to meet up with again) Jon and myself and five twenty-something Irish girls. It actually worked out really well. The Japanese were the 'sobering' element to the group, the Irish girls and Jon the opposite, myself the Kiwi and Australian somewhere in the middle. Found myself laughing a lot which is always a good thing.


One of the first views

One of our first encounters on the trek was with a large black terrantula which prompted the question (from the Irish contingent) "is it poisonus?" and with the response of yes, "then why are we standing here?". A good point I felt (spiders never have been my strong point). After that we saw another large (as in bigger than my hand) dragon spider - the problem with this one being that it hung from trees in webs (I refused to go first after this). We also saw plenty of dogs (they're everywhere - literally) cats, pigs (also everywhere) waterbuffalo, chickens and cockerals (noisy b***ards) and elephants. Yes, the elephant ride was one of the highlights. They loomed out of the jungle almost silently. It was quite something. Shame about the uptight mahooter - seemed a bit teenage and moody and it took all my will power not to come over all teacher-ish and tell him to snap out of it (pointless really as he wouldn't have understood a word, although I'm convinced the teacher 'tone' is universal). Anyway, put it down to the fact that he probably spends too much time hanging out with elephants.


Breakfast

The first night we stayed in a communal hut, sleeping on the floor and shrouded in mosi nets (a similar affair for the second night too). It was a shame that Jon and I had holes the size of a terrantula in ours. No prizes for guessing what I spent half the night worrying about. It was also freezing as we were quite high up so I donned every item of clothing I had including a fleece hoody and just about managed to keep warm.



One of the houses where lunch was made

The second day was great again - more beautiful scenery, more great food (that I can't quite get my head around how they managed to cook it for so many so well in such limited conditions) more treking through amazing Thai jungle and villages and our final destination was a camp by a waterfall. It was stunning. The first thing we all did was get in the water and have a shower/wash... it was like a scene from Pocahontas with myself, Carly and the Irish girls all washing in the river! Very cold though.


At waterfall camp

The final day had us (briefly) treking again then bamboo rafting down the river. This was good to a point although Tim took a bit of a tumble on a 'rapids' bit of the river and turned a serious shade of green after whacking himself on some rocks. A large singha beer seemed to put him to rights though!

It was a great couple of days and I'm glad I went!

Bangkok and Sticky rice with Mango

My first blog!

Flying never was my strong point, so after a gruelling 12 hour flight I arrived in Bangkok to be met by a flower wielding, very brown (and very thin!) Jon.... The first thing to hit me was the heat! It was boiling and I immediately started to sweat profusley - a troublesome point when it looks like you've wet yourself if you sit down on anything synthetic for more than five minutes - much to Jon's amusement!!

After an hour-long taxi to Kao San Rd (in which I repeatedly looked at Jon and said 'I'm in Bangkok' with a slightly bemused look on my face) we disembarked to walk the short distance to our (luxury) accomodation. Kao san Road is an assault on the senses in every way that it could be, but most of all it's marvellous! I loved the buzz and the sights and sounds. I know it's not everybody's cup of tea, but I really liked it and it certainly made me feel that I'd arrived somewhere very different to home. Several food vendors were selling deep-fried locusts, cockroaches and worm-type grubs to name only those I recognised. Jon - with some encouragement from me - was brave and tried a locust.... Reasonably palatable apparently (I'm sure the soy sauce made all the difference!).

I opted for spring rolls lathered in sweet chilli dipping sauce (Julie you'd love this place!) and banana pancake and pad Thai..... and sticky rice and mango (can't describe how delicious this was) and.... pretty much everything it seems... all for approx. 20 baht which is roughly 30p. Thai people know how to eat and to smile (people ask if you want stuff - I mean pretty much everything including Pat Pong [think ping pong balls] but don't mind when you say 'no' and keep smiling).

Our roof-top pool!
Our hotel was fantastic with a roof-top pool and buffet breakfast included (expensive for here at 2000 baht per night - 30 pounds). We made the most of it before moving to another, more basic and no pool, place for one night which cost 400 baht (just under seven pounds). I can't get over how cheap everything is!

Also had a trip to the King's Palace which was stunning (see pic of Jon there) and walked around (in the heat) for a bit by which point I had to pull the, 'I'm an English lay-dee' line on Jon and declare I was having a day off sleeping and hiding in the shade sipping my drinks and trying not to look like I'd wet myself!

A note on flip flops... anyone who knows me knows I like to spend the majority of my time in flip flops. You can therefore imagine my joy in coming to Thailand where this is the footwear of choice for everyone. Thinking I was a hardened flip-flop wearer, I immediately donned the said footwear (mandatory 'Muji' rationing) and strolled about gayly.... However, to my shock and horror I develped flip-flop blisters! How can this be? I am such an old hand at wearing them that I was rather dismayed to see that i almost looked like a flip flop virgin! I have since endeavoured to build up my flip flop resistence to proove that I can appear as a local - not an occassional flip flopster...

Back to the point... After three days in Bangkok we took the sleeper train to Chang Mai in the North of Thailand... 'Sleeper' is a bit of a misnomer it has to be said as I got little of it as I had the 'cheaper' top bunk. Why cheaper? Because industrial aircon blows in your face all night (actually freezing you) and makes a noise like something out of 'Eraser Head' (by David Lynch). They also neglect to turn the lights off and since you have (not the case for luxury travellers on the bottom bunk (i.e. Jon!) a three inch gap at the top of your 'privacy' curtain, it really is like sleeping in an industrail unit of somesort. i gave up after three hours of wimpering and gate-crashed jon's sleeping party - much to his delight! Then we hit Chang Mai....