Friday, May 8, 2009
Turtle Island
A short ferry ride from Ko Phangan brought us to our last stop in southern Thailand... Ko Tao. We quickly signed up for a PADI Scuba Diving certification class at Ban's Diving Resort, and were excited to find that we also got free accomodation with the course. For the next week, Rachel, Molly and Beth completed nine dives. The first day was 4 hours in a classroom-we weren't expecting to return to school so soon. Our charismatic and slightly vulger English dive instructor made the experience that much better with his sheer enthusiasm for diving and his zest for life. He became a big fan of the "American Girls" during the course of the week. Day two was spent in the pool, learning the basics like how to breath through a regulator, remove our masks under water, remain neutrally buoyant while maintaining proper scuba swimming form and assist a buddy if their air was out. Rachel's form was perfect-the instructor told the class to watch her because her kicks were long and straight "like daggars." Our favorite dive was the night dive, where we felt like we were tink and peter pan with our hands moving through the water creating pixie dust-like bubbles. You'd think it would be scary to shut off your flashlight in pitch black water, but it was the most incredible experience and we can't wait to do it again. At the end of the week we finally celebrated Rachel's birthday with dinner out, where Carrington (UofO friend) happened to walk by and spot us. We all headed to a Muay Thai fight in the jungle afterwards, where our dive instructor was oddly enough the emcee. We watched several fights, ranging from 7 years old to mid-twenties. We enjoyed it much more than we'd expected and had fun hanging out with Carrington and drinking Chang to celebrate Rachel's 23rd. On our way home we grabbed our last thai pancake from our favorite pancake maker, who did some pretty cool knife tricks. Spent the next day hanging around relaxing and watching movies at a restaurant on the beach waiting to catch the night ferry back to mainland, and then a bus up to Bangkok.
Monday, April 20, 2009
"Biggest Beach Party, International DJ's"
We arrived in Surat Thani with 10 hours to kill and quickly discovered that it was not a common tourist destination. Food and English speaking people were hard to come by-which allowed us to save our bellies for the huge night market. When it got dark, the town came alive. Picture Saturday market to the tenth degree, Asian-style. With happy hearts and full tummies we boarded the night ferry. We fell asleep almost immediately.
We woke up on the ferry around 5:30 am, took a tuk tuk to Haad Rin and headed straight for Same Same Lodge, which was recommended by our guide book. We hit the beach late in the morning and could tell it was a party town (it's home of the famous full moon party) by the lack of people up at that hour.
Our first night we found it to live up to it's party reputation. We attended the Drop In Bar's 30th Anniversary. "Music, drinks, free barbeque, fire show, International DJ's." We hit the dance floor and later the beach erupted into a foam party. It was a great introduction to our stay on Ko Phangan.
Most days, we woke up, grabbed shakes, relaxed on our lay-lows (floaties) and soaked up the sun, nearby a patch of palm trees.
From our beach spot, we saw a tattered flier posted on one of the palm trees describing a "light trek" along the Green dot trail. We decided we were in need of some excerise after days at the beach, and headed out the next day. Based on the flier, we were expecting a moderate stroll through the cool jungle. Instead, we spent three hours hiking up the most rigorous trek EVER. We were on all fours hiking up clay gravel and boulders in the scorching heat. We felt like we had fallen for the city's inside tourist joke. Danielle almost didn't make it and considered turning back until she was heavily amused by Kevin's ability to manuever the steep hills in his tractionless indoor soccer shoes. Finally, after sweat, blisters and bug bites, we made it to the Sanctuary. No, we're not kidding. It was literally a detox oasis retreat on the beach. We took a quick dip in the ocean and hopped on a longtail back to Haad Rin.
On one of our last days, we rented mopeds for 200 baht ($6) and explored the many beaches of the island. Molly's bike broke down, leaving us stranded for a couple hours, but luckily Danielle and Beth got to try Dragonfruit. After the minor incident, we enjoyed cruising around and trying local street food. On the way back to our guesthouse, we were overtaken by the picturesque sunset and stopped for a gorgeous photo-op. After a week-long stay, we were beginning to feel very at home on Ko Phangan and were sad to part from the island and Kev.
We woke up on the ferry around 5:30 am, took a tuk tuk to Haad Rin and headed straight for Same Same Lodge, which was recommended by our guide book. We hit the beach late in the morning and could tell it was a party town (it's home of the famous full moon party) by the lack of people up at that hour.
Our first night we found it to live up to it's party reputation. We attended the Drop In Bar's 30th Anniversary. "Music, drinks, free barbeque, fire show, International DJ's." We hit the dance floor and later the beach erupted into a foam party. It was a great introduction to our stay on Ko Phangan.
Most days, we woke up, grabbed shakes, relaxed on our lay-lows (floaties) and soaked up the sun, nearby a patch of palm trees.
From our beach spot, we saw a tattered flier posted on one of the palm trees describing a "light trek" along the Green dot trail. We decided we were in need of some excerise after days at the beach, and headed out the next day. Based on the flier, we were expecting a moderate stroll through the cool jungle. Instead, we spent three hours hiking up the most rigorous trek EVER. We were on all fours hiking up clay gravel and boulders in the scorching heat. We felt like we had fallen for the city's inside tourist joke. Danielle almost didn't make it and considered turning back until she was heavily amused by Kevin's ability to manuever the steep hills in his tractionless indoor soccer shoes. Finally, after sweat, blisters and bug bites, we made it to the Sanctuary. No, we're not kidding. It was literally a detox oasis retreat on the beach. We took a quick dip in the ocean and hopped on a longtail back to Haad Rin.
On one of our last days, we rented mopeds for 200 baht ($6) and explored the many beaches of the island. Molly's bike broke down, leaving us stranded for a couple hours, but luckily Danielle and Beth got to try Dragonfruit. After the minor incident, we enjoyed cruising around and trying local street food. On the way back to our guesthouse, we were overtaken by the picturesque sunset and stopped for a gorgeous photo-op. After a week-long stay, we were beginning to feel very at home on Ko Phangan and were sad to part from the island and Kev.
Smilay in Railay
After taking a ferry from Krabi we stopped in the middle of the ocean where we were boarded a long tail boat to the shore...they stopped off the shore and had us get out in knee deep water. A wave splashed Rachel, almost taking her and her backpack out with it, and the driver laughed at her. We immediately headed to the east, or "backpacker's" side of the island to look for lodging.
After looking around we decided to pass up the cockroaches and centipedes for roommates. We found the perfect place-the only problem was that we had to climb a huge, steep flight of stairs, and then hike to our cabin. The hike was well worth the view of the lime stone mountains and the ocean. Our first night we fortunately made it the restaurant for dinner just before it started to pour/thunderstorm. We quickly learned that one drop of rain meant a storm is brewing and that first drop sent us on a sprint to our next destination.
The next day, exactly as she had previously described her dream to Beth, Molly turned a random corner to see a sweaty, well-traveled Kevin clad in a green t-shirt. After getting him situated in a room, we all headed to the beach. Beth went exploring and swam around a cliff to a nearby beach. Quite the adventurer.
Our final full day was spent with Molly rock climbing, while Beth, Rachel and Kevin explored a diamond cave. Danielle spent the day lounging on the beach.
It was great having Kevin with us. Railay was a quaint island, decorated in Bob Marley tapestries. A nice break from the constant bustle of Ko Phi Phi.
Next off to Surat Thani to board a night ferry to Ko Phangan.
After looking around we decided to pass up the cockroaches and centipedes for roommates. We found the perfect place-the only problem was that we had to climb a huge, steep flight of stairs, and then hike to our cabin. The hike was well worth the view of the lime stone mountains and the ocean. Our first night we fortunately made it the restaurant for dinner just before it started to pour/thunderstorm. We quickly learned that one drop of rain meant a storm is brewing and that first drop sent us on a sprint to our next destination.
The next day, exactly as she had previously described her dream to Beth, Molly turned a random corner to see a sweaty, well-traveled Kevin clad in a green t-shirt. After getting him situated in a room, we all headed to the beach. Beth went exploring and swam around a cliff to a nearby beach. Quite the adventurer.
Our final full day was spent with Molly rock climbing, while Beth, Rachel and Kevin explored a diamond cave. Danielle spent the day lounging on the beach.
It was great having Kevin with us. Railay was a quaint island, decorated in Bob Marley tapestries. A nice break from the constant bustle of Ko Phi Phi.
Next off to Surat Thani to board a night ferry to Ko Phangan.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
We Heart Na To Nai
Our flight from Sydney to Bangkok exceeded our expectations. Thai Airways treated us with our own individual entertainment unit, where we got to chose from a wide range of newly released movies, which we all took advantage of. The service was amazing, and we felt extremely spoiled. As soon as we walked off the plane our driver Na To Nai greeted us with open arms and four beautiful bouquets of flowers. We met Jon and got to see our luxurious accomodations for the next few days. We went out to our first Thai dinner at a little restaurant on Sukhumvit and Soi 11, where we met Jon's friend Kristen and feasted on a family-style dinner of cashew fried rice, curry, cocunut soup, and a few cocktails. Jon left for the States the next morning and left his luxurious apartment, driver, housekeeper and huge selection of movies all to us! The next day Danielle felt a bit ill and rested up while the rest of us went out to explore Sukhumvit Rd. That night we took a tuk tuk to the Suan Lum night bazaar, where we wandered through a maze of stalls and drank our first of many delicious fruit shakes. We were entertained by hilarious Thai renditions of popular American songs, from artists like Akon and JT, while watching the emotionless backup dancers strut their stuff. The next morning our smiley driver took us to the well-known Damnoen Saduak floating market about two hours outside of Bangkok. We floated through the canals on a longtail boat and sampled some of the local food. Danielle purchased a fresh cocunut, which she enjoyed thoroughly. It was touristy but interesting nonetheless. That same night we went to one of the world's sexiest bars, according to Conde Nast Traveller. On the rooftop of the Banyan Tree Hotel, we sipped on yummy cocktails, and took in the amazing view of Bangkok's expansive city lights. On our last morning in Bangkok, before flying to Phuket, we hit up the Chatuchak or JJ Market, where we got lost among vendors of everything from clothes to puppies.
Our flight to Phuket was short and sweet, and definitely a better choice than a 13 hour bus ride. After arriving in Phuket we grabbed a cab to Phang-Nga. Our cab driver was less than enthusiastic to take us there, to put it lightly. For the entire ride he tried to dissuade us from our destination. "No beat (beach), no food, no people, no disco, just mountains" is all he had to say about Phang-Nga, which made Rachel a little uneasy about where we were headed, but Danielle reassured us all. We got our first glimpse of the limestone cliffs that surrounded the small town. As soon as we arrived we were greeted by thunder and lightening and a downpour of rain. The receptionist at the Guesthouse where we stayed laughed when we decided to shared one room and two small beds, where we enjoyed a cozy, but very warm overnight stay. Our first real look at the backpackers lifestyle. We quickly arranged a tour of Phang-Nga National Park for the next morning. We left early on a longtail boat and spent the day admiring the spectacular landscape of lush green islands surrounded by clear ocean water. At one point the driver of our longtail boat pulled up to a small beach, roughly ten feet in length, and handed us each a torch, pointing to a ladder leading to a cave. We curiously climbed inside to find a surprisingly large sparkling cave, at the end of which was a small crack opening into a lagoon. After lunch on a small beach and a quick swim we arrived at Koh Panyi where we spent the night on the floating Muslim fisherman's village. We had dinner with a lovely Swiss couple, and spent the night in a rickety little bungalow. The next day we were off to Koh Phi Phi! We made friends with two English girls on the ferry ride over, and looked for accomodations together. After over an hour of searching the island in the heat and the rain, we found a cute little bungalow to stay in. That night we all went out to dinner together, where we ate amazing curry, and then made our way to the beach for a fire show, our first buckets and lots of dancing. We spent most of our days on Koh Phi Phi lying lazily on the beach and drinking delicious fruit shakes (mango, watermelon, banana, pineapple, coconut). Our nights were spent avoiding thunderstorms, eating curries, and enjoying the bustling nightlife of the island. It was here that we experience our first taste of thai style banana pancakes, which quickly won our hearts over. We also met two lovely English guys, playing the guitar and singing songs. Maya beach, from the movie The Beach, was a must see, so we headed out early one day on a longtail boat, and got to see the gorgeous beach before the crowds arrived. The water was crystal clear, and the fish swam at our feet as we explored the warm ocean water. Molly, Rachel and Beth snorkelled to a small adjacent beach, although the snorkels were completely unneccessary with such incredibly clear water. The beach lost some of its appeal as more and more tourists arrived, so we headed off to see the rest of the limestone islands. The longtail boat took around even more spectacular waters, and at one point it was so enticing that we had to ask to stop the boat and jump in. Our last stop was Monkey Bay, where we were amused by what seemed like dozens of monkeys who were surprisingly people-friendly and hungry for fruit and pepsi. One even climbed on top of Molly's back and perched on her shoulder, while another attempted to steal Danielle's sunnies. A great end to life on Phi Phi.
Our flight to Phuket was short and sweet, and definitely a better choice than a 13 hour bus ride. After arriving in Phuket we grabbed a cab to Phang-Nga. Our cab driver was less than enthusiastic to take us there, to put it lightly. For the entire ride he tried to dissuade us from our destination. "No beat (beach), no food, no people, no disco, just mountains" is all he had to say about Phang-Nga, which made Rachel a little uneasy about where we were headed, but Danielle reassured us all. We got our first glimpse of the limestone cliffs that surrounded the small town. As soon as we arrived we were greeted by thunder and lightening and a downpour of rain. The receptionist at the Guesthouse where we stayed laughed when we decided to shared one room and two small beds, where we enjoyed a cozy, but very warm overnight stay. Our first real look at the backpackers lifestyle. We quickly arranged a tour of Phang-Nga National Park for the next morning. We left early on a longtail boat and spent the day admiring the spectacular landscape of lush green islands surrounded by clear ocean water. At one point the driver of our longtail boat pulled up to a small beach, roughly ten feet in length, and handed us each a torch, pointing to a ladder leading to a cave. We curiously climbed inside to find a surprisingly large sparkling cave, at the end of which was a small crack opening into a lagoon. After lunch on a small beach and a quick swim we arrived at Koh Panyi where we spent the night on the floating Muslim fisherman's village. We had dinner with a lovely Swiss couple, and spent the night in a rickety little bungalow. The next day we were off to Koh Phi Phi! We made friends with two English girls on the ferry ride over, and looked for accomodations together. After over an hour of searching the island in the heat and the rain, we found a cute little bungalow to stay in. That night we all went out to dinner together, where we ate amazing curry, and then made our way to the beach for a fire show, our first buckets and lots of dancing. We spent most of our days on Koh Phi Phi lying lazily on the beach and drinking delicious fruit shakes (mango, watermelon, banana, pineapple, coconut). Our nights were spent avoiding thunderstorms, eating curries, and enjoying the bustling nightlife of the island. It was here that we experience our first taste of thai style banana pancakes, which quickly won our hearts over. We also met two lovely English guys, playing the guitar and singing songs. Maya beach, from the movie The Beach, was a must see, so we headed out early one day on a longtail boat, and got to see the gorgeous beach before the crowds arrived. The water was crystal clear, and the fish swam at our feet as we explored the warm ocean water. Molly, Rachel and Beth snorkelled to a small adjacent beach, although the snorkels were completely unneccessary with such incredibly clear water. The beach lost some of its appeal as more and more tourists arrived, so we headed off to see the rest of the limestone islands. The longtail boat took around even more spectacular waters, and at one point it was so enticing that we had to ask to stop the boat and jump in. Our last stop was Monkey Bay, where we were amused by what seemed like dozens of monkeys who were surprisingly people-friendly and hungry for fruit and pepsi. One even climbed on top of Molly's back and perched on her shoulder, while another attempted to steal Danielle's sunnies. A great end to life on Phi Phi.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Lizzin' the life!
Since leaving Cairns, we've had amazing weather. We got lucky because it is the wet season right now, and usually there are cyclones all around Australia, which is exactly what bid us adieu from Cairns. We returned just in time for the Mardi Gras parade--which people travel from all over the world to attend--and we just happened to be here!! What great timing. But before that happened, we made time to go to Toronga zoo, which overlooks the entire city and the harbor. Every animal picture we took was backed with the Sydney skyline. We saw kangaroos, koalas and baby gorillas-loved every minute of it.
That night we attended the Mardi Gras--it was insane!! The entire day the people of Sydney prepared for it by setting up barricades and rails on the street sides. The parade was filled with the most flamboyant of people. To say the least, it was very entertaining.
The next day it poured and we had a bit of a movie day. It was good to spend a day relaxing. Yesterday we spent the day at the Sydney botanical gardens. We made a picnic lunch and fed the exotic birds, only later to read signs that instructed against feeding the birds because they would bite...whoops. It's crazy because where we would have pigeons and geese they have lorikeets and cockatoos--and bats, oh my! That night we gave ourself a tour of Darling harbor. When we got back to Coogee later that night we decided to take a dip. Rachel and Beth came out of the water with the stings of a jelly fish--but they both decided that it's not quite as bad as one would expect.
We decided to go out with a bang in true aussie style by attending surf camp all day. One of the girls who lives in the house we are staying in, from Jesuit no less, is teaching surf camps and private lessons here, so we went out with her crew. It was the best way to go out. Today was a gorgeous day. All of us were able to stand at least once and will probably be surfing with the locals soon...We've had amazing hosts--Sydney would not have been the same without them.
Tomorrow we're off to Thailand... ready for our next adventures!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
If you think you Cairn you Cairns...
So alot has happened since our last post, sorry they are so few and far between, but we have been busy. We've been in Cairns since the first of March and have loved every minute of it. In Sydney, before we left, we went to Bondi beach, which was beautiful. Everything here has postcard picture potential. On the taxi ride home from Bondi, Rachel suggested to the taxi driver that she should try driving. He was down. Just to remind you, they drive on the left hand side of the road, so this was somewhat of an adventure. The next day we went to the Future Music Fest, which was basically an 8 hour dance party with Macy Gray, to name one of the featured artists. After exhausting ourselves on the dance floor all day in the sun, it was not an easy feat to make our six am flight to Cairns the next morning--but luckily we managed.
Cairns is paradise-we have a feeling we'll be saying that a lot. We spent our first day basking beside the huge salt water public pool that looks out over the ocean. Our hostel is a mix of people our age from everywhere other than the U.S. It's crazy because there are so many backpackers here that when we mention the trip that we're on, it's just a normal conversation piece. No big deal.
The next day Rachel and Molly jumped out of a plane at 14,000 feet right over the great barrier reef and rainforests. Words can't even describe the feeling. The whole ride back to the skydiving shop from our landing point, we were asking how we could go about getting certified to be divers...a new hobby for sure.
Yesterday we went snorkling off of a sailboat over the great barrier reef. We pulled up to a white sandy beach that was covered in roughly 20,000 birds and water straight out of a Planet Earth episode. Today Rachel, Beth, and Molly are headed to Cape Tribulation to check out the Australian rainforest, swim in some waterfalls and hopefully see some crocs.
More to come.
We miss you all!!
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