Swimming with the fishies

So I finally made it to the beach and its like food for my soul. I've been feeling a little tired of traveling and sweating and packing and staying in crap places but I felt it all melt away the second I saw the beautiful clear blue water and white sand beaches. Ahhhhhh....

Koh Tao is smallest islands in the group of 3 that includes Samui and Phangan. Its supposed to be a lot less developed that the others and is considered to be scuba-central in Thailand. Also, during the wet season, the beaches on the Gulf Coast to the east are a lot less rained-out than the other side (Krabi, Koh Phi Phi included) so I headed directly here for some sun, surf and scuba. After yet another long 36-hrs of travel (flight from Luang Prabang to Bangkok to Samui, early morning boat to Tao), I quickly booked an open-water class with Easy Divers that started that afternoon.

My first view of Koh Tao! There are these crazy rock formations around the island but you can really see how clear the water is!

There are these islands just off Koh Tao called Koy Nangyuan and they really are 3 islands connected by these pristinely white sand bars. Its like having the beach on both sides!

The beach right outside my bungalow. With so many boats moored on the beach, it was nice to get this small peaceful cove right outside. The water was so warm and perfectly turquoise.

The scuba class lasted 4-days and they jam-packed it with classroom theory time and practice dives. In the States, it takes weeks to get certified but you can do it in 4 days in Koh Tao for about $200. Its totally insane. I thought going to the beach would give me some time for chilling out and relaxing but the scuba class was actually pretty hectic. We were going out for 2 dives a day on a boat as well as at least a few hours a day in the classroom. I usually left my room by 9am and didn't get back to well past dinner. Of course, some of that included celebratory drinks at one of the local pubs but I still wouldn't call that exactly relaxing.

But it was so much fun! Being down there and seeing all the amazing coral and fish was spectacular. Just being able to breathe underwater was an experience I will never forget. And seeing all that coral and aquatic life upfront! It was like being in an entirely new world. It was hard at first to get used to breathing and figuring out how to stay bouyant without going up or down too much but its amazing how quickly you can pick up these skills. After the first couple of days, we could relax and enjoy our surroundings.

On the boat out to sea. We were all so excited the first time we went out with our gear. Though we were like bumbling fools under the water. We had no idea how to stay bouyant and we kept crashing into each other under the water. Oops!

Trying out the rebreather for the first time!

Ahoy, Mate! I looked a lot more graceful under the water, I promise!

The reason Koh Tao is one of the best places for diving is the incredible visibility and prolific marine life surrounding the island. The water was also incredibly warm (around 80 F) but we still had to wear wetsuits. We saw so many tropical fish with neon colors, interesting coral and even a scorpion fish. I don't have any pictures of these but I did buy the DVD of our last dive so you guys can see that when I get home :). Really, everyone should try scuba diving at least once in their lifetime!!

The class was also great because of our instructor, Sigor, and the others in the class. We had a great time trying to figure out everything and enjoying a cold beer after a long day. Everyone was pretty excited after finishing the course so we're all contemplating taking an advanced course so we can actually go diving independently rather than with an instructor or divemaster all the time. I actually plan on doing the advanced course once I get to Malaysia!

Congrats, guys!! I'm still not sure I would trust us under the water after only 4 days but we all have a card saying we can!

I could stay longer here but Koh Tao itself isn't as great as I thought it would be. Its more developed than I would like with bungalows crowding the beaches, trash along the sand, tons of boats anchored in the water and a busy little town full of bars and partying scuba divers. To be fair, I'm staying in the busiest part of the island but I'm not impressed enough to search out other, possibly nicer parts. All the activity over the last few days have made me a little worn out so I really need some peace and quiet. My scuba class ended yesterday and I'm heading out to Malaysia on a night train tonight. The Perhentian Islands are supposed to be much quieter and the scuba diving is supposed to be pretty great so I'm really excited heading out there. I've been fantasizing about quiet stretches of sand and clear waters with nothing but me, a book and some swaying palm trees. It'll be a true holiday for once!

A nice sunset but you can see how busy the water was with all these boats everywhere! They took over the entire beach except for a small area at the end where my bungalow was.

This is the section of the beach right next to the main town area and it is covered in trash. The town was also filled with obnoxious bars, 7-Elevens and annoying touts. Not exactly a beach paradise.

I also found out that my parents will be able to join me in Australia for a couple of weeks and I'm so excited about that!! I can't wait to see them and I know we will have a great time touring around Uluru and visiting some of the Whitsunday Islands. But before that I have the Malaysia and Singapore to look forward to so here's hoping for the best in these last few weeks of my trip!

Happy Birthday, Mark! I hope you didn't get too drunk while celebrating your 24th year!

Floating up the river in a little hard seat

I can't seem to do these one by one! Don't forget to check the previous post as well!

All the guidebooks mentioned that taking a slow boat up from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw was one of the most scenic in Laos and since it would be my only chance to take a boat down the Mekong, which stretches all through Laos, I quickly booked the trip. I would only have a couple of days in Nong Khiaw before I flew to South Thailand so I wanted to fit in as much as possible (really a week isn't enough in Laos but I really wanted to hit the beach!).

The trip to Nong Khiaw was supposed to take about 6 hours, which I was totally fine with (better to soak up the scenery!) until I saw the little boat and the even littler seats. There were only 4 passengers so we didn't get to take the bigger, more luxurious boats but we were optimistic regardless. What's a little discomfort for the great views. And great they were! We were able to float right alongside these huge towering mountains that seemed to just drop suddenly into the water as well as small villages full of swimming kids, weathered fishermen and even gold panhandlers. We would have made it on time except we were caught in a wicked storm and had to dock for awhile. You could barely see 10ft past the boat because of all the water pouring down. And we were in this little boat! There were times I was sure we were going to tip over.

Fine for the first hour or so but 8? It hurt to even look at a chair once we got to Nong Khiaw.

So beautiful. We came across some of the most spectacular scenery I've seen on a boat. And I've taken lots of boats!

Some boys fishing. Most of the men working in the water seemed to do it in their underwear. Economical, I suppose.

This guy was fully clothed and also wearing the conical hat we saw everywhere. I don't know how his boat weathered that storm!

Ponchos were definitely necessary in this weather. The rain came so suddenly and so hard it was unbelievable. The water seemed to come from every direction!

The calm after the storm.

Most people just bathed in the water. The men in their underwear and the women in these sarongs. They seemed to be very social events with everyone doing it together.

But we got to Nong Khiaw fine and it was just as I had pictured it though it had a lot more guesthouses and tourist restaurants than I had expected. But I found this great little bungalow with awesome views of the river though the accomodations were a bit lacking. There was no shower but the owner was nice enough to leave a large bucket of water and a small pot so I could scoop water on myself. I won't even mention the swiggly, hairy bugs. But it was a small price to pay to soak up the town. I even rented a bike to ride around the countryside though I gave that up after an hour or so from the heat. I was dying! I ended up spending most of my time, reading and taking in the views. Pretty boring but time well spent.

Dusty Nong Khiaw but with a spectacular backdrop.

But everyone had a huge satellite dish! Better to watch those World Cup games or Thai soaps. Too bad the reception can be spotty.

I also got to see one of the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen. The rains came late in the afternoon but it cleared up enough to see this over the mountains. And this was practically from the deck of my bungalow.

A lone fisherman finishing up his catch before the sun fully set.

I came up with this Dutch couple and this Brit guy and we ended up having a great time, chatting over dinner and football (in case you guys didn't know, the World Cup is going on). We also spent a lot of time talking about cultural stereotypes (it always comes up with people from other countries) and the brit guy actually asked me, quite seriously, if I owned a gun. A what?? Are you serious?? Apparently, he really believed that every American owned a gun. Can you believe that? And it wasn't just him! The dutchies agreed with him! Maybe not every person, but at least every household. They were shocked that I didn't even know anyone who owned a gun. And this is how the world sees Americans. We're all apparently obese, drive SUVs and own guns. Great.

I took the bus back to Luang Prabang (my butt couldn't take another boat ride) to spend one more magical night in the special room. It would have been perfect except there was a huge storm and everything started to leak. The windows also kept busting open and I got soaked trying to reclose the shutters. It was like in a bad disaster movie. I guess that's the drawback of staying in an old colonial mansion. Oh well. It was great while it lasted!

And now I'm off to the beach!!! I'm so excited about it. I've been traveling for 7 1/2 months and I have yet to see a bit of surf or a grain of sand. All I want to do is lay on the sand and sunbathe all my troubles away. I'm also going to be taking a SCUBA course in Koh Tao so I can't wait for that! Those who have known me forever know that me and water are at one. I can't believe I've waited this long for this!

Luang prabang, the land of sleazy tuk-tuk drivers

So remember how when I was in Vietiane, I was pleasantly surprised at the non-hassle I was getting from the tuk-tuk drivers? Yeah, well not so much in Luang Prabang. They weren't really in-your-face about getting your business though they were pretty persistant. But I did get a SUPER creepy vibe from them, especially when they offered opium or made crude statements after I turned them down. Yuck. And apparently the only japanese word they know is arigato and I heard it constantly. Thank me for what?

But the rest of Luang Prabang was lovely. Its actually a UNESCO World Heritage city - yeah, the whole town. It has this wonderful, picturesque colonial feel to it with grand old buildings as well as beautiful, impressive wats complete with monks in neon-orange robes. Its also cradled by 2 rivers so you're never very far from a great view across the water. I have to be honest that when I was in Laos, all I could think about was being on the beach so I didn't give it all the enthusiasm or attention it deserved. Laos is really beautiful with its small villages, towering green mountains and scenic river views but I just wasn't that into it. A waste, I know.

Since I was feeling a little burnt out traveling-wise, I decided to splurge on my accomodations and stay somewhere really nice. I visited a few guesthouses and finally settled on Sayo Guesthouse, where for $30/night I got to stay in the biggest room I've ever seen!! It had huge 16ft ceilings, a gigantic four poster bed and even 2 (yes, 2!!) sitting areas. Sitting areas??? And don't get me started on the bathroom. It was HUGE!! It even had a vanity table and a real bathtub. I was in absolute heaven. I could barely stop myself from dancing in my room. Heck, I could have done somersaults with all the room I had. The best part though was that it was in this beautiful converted colonial mansion so it has tons of atmosphere. Its probably the best place I have EVER stayed at, including all the places I stayed while traveling on business.

I've never been more excited about a room. It was GIGANTIC. I couldn't even get it all in! Notice the 2 sitting areas. I spent time sitting in every section, savoring the space. Sooooo worth it! It had a great colonial feel.

I know, I even took pictures of the bathroom. But look how cute it is with a REAL tub! I haven't even seen a real shower (usually the showerhead just points to the floor of the bathroom) since China. And this is just half of the bathroom! Most of the places I stay at are the size of the bathroom alone.

I will be honest, that room was probably the best part of staying in Luang Prabang though I did also wander the city and checked out some temples. Luang Prabang used to the royal capital of Laos in the 18th century so there are a lot of beautiful old temples and grand architecture so I knew I couldn't just stay in my room all-day :).

Real laidback town with cobbled walkways, slow traffic and interesting buildings.

The old grand palace, now a musem. I know, another grand palace?? But it was nice.

A mural on the wall of one of the temples. I would have gone inside except I saw this gigantic spider right by the door. I ran away instead.

A funeral carriage though I have no idea what that means. But it had these crazy scary dragons on it.

Two really friendly novice munks I talked for a bit so they could practice their English. There are over 30 operating temples here though most only have 30-50 monks each.

I know I've sort of stopped including pics on the main sights (you know, the postcard views) but if you've been following my blog, you've already seen them. What you haven't seen is this really fat, really funny looking buddha that was on the Puo Si hill in the middle of the town. I laugh every time I look at this picture.

I also took a day trip to see the Pak Ou caves and the Kuang Si waterfalls. Honestly though, I've seen so many caves and waterfalls in Asia that these didn't really seem that impressive. But it was nice to take a dip in the water on such a super-hot day.

The cave itself was not that interesting and very shallow but it held all these old buddha statues that were covered with dust and cobwebs. They're all broken or out of use so the Laotians just store them in this cave.

Wait, I thought you were going to a waterfall. I thought so too! So imagine my surprise when I saw these caged bears along the path. I didn't even know there were bears in Laos! The ironic part was that this spectacle was sponsored by the Free the Bears Fund.

I usually end up asking strangers to take photos of me and its like playing the lottery. You either win or lose but you never know what you're going to get!

A perfect swimming hole if I've ever seen one.

Next, I'm heading to a small town in the north, Nong Khiaw. Lots of people say that Laos is so great because it is much less touristy and a lot of its culture is untouched by tourism so I wanted to get a closer look at small town life in Laos. I unfortunately don't have much time so I can't visit the east like I wanted but I guess its going to have to wait!

Intermission: what traveling is really like

First, a quick update on my postings. I was finally able to upload all the photos for the Thailand posts and, for once, am completely up to date on all my travels (yeah!!). I've added a whole lot over the last couple of days so if you haven't checked it in awhile, you should start at the Thailand posts. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Also, I changed the commenting option so now you don't have to sign in to comment. Sorry! I didn't realize it was set up like that. Now, no one has any excuse for not commenting! :)

So I've been traveling for awhile now (7 months not including christmas and spring break) and I realized that you guys probably don't really have an idea of what my everyday existence is like. So I decided to show you bits of what its like to be me. Usually, a lot of my time is dealt with administrative crap. I'm always purusing through various guidebooks to figure out my next destination, how to best get there, where I can stay, how much everything is going to cost (from bus tickets to tours to departure taxes) and when I can get out there. Otherwise, I am actually trying to make said plans. That means talking to and comparing many different travel agents (Lonely Planet actually said that the many of the travel agents on Khao San are "more crooked that a mountain pass"), trying to figure out schedules at train stations where no one speaks English, haggling with shopkeepers to get a price that isn't an embarrassing rip-off though I'm probably still getting ripped-off, and wandering around places, trying to discreetly look at my guidebooks without looking like I'm lost and a prime tourist target. I also usually get up way earlier than I did in my previous life, anytime between 6am and 8am, to catch whatever tour, bus or plane I voluntarily booked. I also get to bed much earlier at around 10pm or 11pm, exhausted after a long day of sightseeing. I also don't drink very much though I know I'm on vacation. I'm pretty uncomfortable about being drunk in an unknown place and in a foreign country where I don't really trust the people I'm with though I'm sure they're all lovely people. Drinking is also comparatively pretty expensive and since I would rather spend my money on gifts and souvenirs (for you guys!), its usually the first to go in tighter times.

I also wanted to share what I look like and what I carry everyday. I have a small daypack that looks like an old piece of carpet. I put it on in the morning and don't take it off until night, not even at restaurants or even going to the bathroom. I fear that its becoming permanently fused to my body but its better to be safe than sorry, right? I tote my camera with me everyday as well out of fear of missing that perfect shot. I'm getting tired of taking photos and I don't get as excited about mountain passes or interesting sceneries as I used to but I figure that with over 5,000 photos (and counting) I pretty much have enough. Its helping with my photography skills though.

Me in all my gear!! Note the steel cage around the big bag. I travel alone so I am super-paranoid about getting stuff stolen. The thing weighs 2 pounds on its own(!!) but its worth it. Also note the sensible tevas. I hope never to wear them again for the rest of my life.

My big and small packs! The small bag is key when I do smaller trips like treks. Everything I have with me while traveling has to fit inside these two bags. I started with a lot but now all I care about is weight. My big bag weighs around 35 pounds and it hurts after awhile. The lighter, the better, folks!

My daily essentials though I obviously can't take a picture of my camera. I both love and loathe that bag!! I actually don't use my guidebooks as much as I thought I would. Its has good logistical information but its better to get recommendations from people I meet.

I usually stay in places that look like this. Its so small that I can't take the picture while insdie the room. This is actually at the low-end of the places I stay but its only $4 and I'm only here for 1 night. At least I have my own room!

All my toiletries fit in this one itty-bitty bag. Sniff, I miss all my lotions and creams and conditioners and hair products at home. But I've learned to value the essentials. I hoard and steal toilet paper like its gold as well as the little bars of soap that hotels give you. You really can't put a price on that stuff. Yeah, sad I know. What have I been reduced to??

But of course, this is all the stuff that's not the amazing part of traveling - seeing incredible things and meeting interesting people! Its just the everyday lame stuff but you guys should get the complete picture, not just the fantastic photos! :)

After all this time, I can't believe I only have 7 weeks left though that also feels like forever. Its hard - I really love traveling and being able to experience all these amazing things but it also wears on you after awhile. But I know, when I look back at this experience, I will remember all the good and none of the bad and I'm sure I'll be wishing I could be on the road again very soon. I want it to last forever but I also can't wait for my life (school, friends, having actual belongings that don't need to be smashed into a backpack) to start. What's a world adventurer to do?

Less than 16 hours in vietiane

I originally wanted to book my flight to Laos directly from Phnom Penh to Luang Prabang since I only have a week in Laos but unfortunately I had to stopover one night in Vietiane. I wasn't so excited by it since cities in general aren't really my cup of tea (big cities are big cities no matter where in the world) and especially after coming out of the absolute madness in Phnom Penh. I only had about 16 hours in Vietiane so I at least decided to make the most of it.

First, now that Ang is gone (sniff, sniff) I can't splurge on air-con or nicer places (doubles are so much cheaper per person than singles) so I have a rinky-dink room but the guesthouse staff are all really nice so I'm happy there (at the Haysoke II in case anyone was interested - maybe not the best but fine for 1 night).

But I quickly put my bags down, took a deep breath and waged into the city. And what I found was actually the complete opposite of Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh was loud, dirty, crowded and overwhelming. It was hard to step out onto the street without someone yelling "lady! tuk-tuk!" or almost getting run over by a motorbike. The markets were all in these enclosed buildings where all the food, flies, goods and people were mashed together to the point of complete suffocation. But Vietiane was so quiet in comparison, it almost felt like a ghost town. Maybe because it was a Sunday night but there weren't many cars or motorbikes on the road and there were tons of people just chilling outside, enjoying the warm summer evening and most importantly, not harassing me. I even walked past a group of tuk-tuk drivers who didn't say a word to me. Ahh, bliss. I was able also able to catch a pretty awesome sunset so it just made it a perfect evening.

Some palm trees outside one of the city's many wats.

The main square seemed almost completely abandoned though there were some cute kids playing in the water.

Just a few vehicles on one of the main roads in Vietiane (its actually a very small and very walkable town).

Just a sign I really liked.

For once, it wasn't too cloudy in the late afternoon (the rains usually come late in the day during monsoon season).

For dinner, I did as I usually do - hunted down the night market for some good, local, cheap food. The "night market" actually ended up being just a few carts on a corner but there was still plenty to choose from. No one really spoke English so I relied on the tried-and-true method of pointing and looking confused. I was finally able to get a seafood pancake thing and a cold soymilk drink with squiggly jelly pieces, which were both very delicious. So far, so good in Laos!

Yum! I love trying all the different types of food though I have no idea what they are.

I wasn't very excited about coming to Laos (after Thailand and Cambodia, I feel like I've seen a lot of tropical farmland) but now that I'm here, its great! There's this really friendly, laidback vibe about the place that puts me totally at ease. I think I'm going to really like it here. Well, tomorrow morning I fly out pretty early to Luang Prabang and hopefully the good times will continue!

A chilling time in phnom penh

SoutCorrection to all the guidebooks out there - the road from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh is actually quite nice. I guess they finally finished paving the road since all the guidebooks came out since it was pretty much paved the whole way will very little bumps and no delays. That's good especially since we were on it for 5 hours! Both Ang and I were pretty worried that we would end up on the bus all day but we got into Phnom Penh early enough to see the city.

We're back to our normal budget ways so we just random guesthouse that had air-con and was less than $10. Its a good thing we had decided on a place before we got off the bus because we were absolutely swarmed the second we got off the bus. I've never seen touts work so hard! They were in our faces, shouting, shoving pamphlets at us, yanking our bags - absolute chaos. This is the part of traveling I hate the most. Why can't they just leave us alone?? Obviously, if I want a place to stay or a tuk-tuk ride somewhere, I would ask. Otherwise, don't bother!

But we got in okay so we decided to have a walk around. Normally, Ang and I just head to the central markets to eat at the local food stalls so we went to one in Phnom Penh. And its there we realized we were in a major, busy city. It was like being in La Paz all over again. The city is just a big, loud, polluted city with very few sites. It was a shock to the system especially since we haven't had to deal with it for about 2 weeks. We did get some Cambodian sandwiches but I don't think there will be any shopping going on here. But we did find some very good restaurants that were run by and benefited local NGOs so it gave us an excuse to splurge on some really amazing food, especially at the Friends Cafe, which supports street kids.

We almost got ran over like a bazillion times. We were also harassed at every turn by tuk-tuk drivers. No! We don't need a ride! Argh!

We got these really delicious sandwiches at the insane market. It was really cheap at $0.75 but I swear he only charged the local guy $.013. Go figure.

In my Southeast Asia Rough Guide, they list the Royal Palace in Cambodia as one of the top 35 things not to miss here so we decided to go. It was impressive with flashy buildings and a pagoda with tons of silver tiles but it just didn't compare to the Grand Palace in Thailand or the grandeur of Angkor Wat. Maybe we were just toured-out but we could barely make the effort to enter the different buildings. We need a break!

The Royal Palace! Actually the most impressive part of this place was inside the throne room but we weren't able to take photos in there. You could really see the French influence though.

This totally out-of-place iron house was a gift from Napoleon III. The doors even have big N's etched into the glass. Hilarious.

They really love their king here! Though I think the Thai displays of their king are more ostentatious though its a tough call.

Our terrible teva tans from trekking and Angkor Wat. Its going to take months to go away!

Those that's where they get all those ancient antiques!

The next day, we went to see the Killing Fields and the S-21 prison, both things we we really came to Phnom Penh to see. We hired a tuk-tuk driver and battled smog thick as butter to get there but it was worth it. It was bone-chillingly tragic to see the mass graves of the Cambodians who died at the hands of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge a mere 30 years ago. The regime only lasted between 1975 and 1979 but Pol Pot executed and buried over 17,000 Cambodians who were suspected of undermining his rules or basically didn't fit into the agricultural peasant ideal of Pol Pot's twisted view of communism. To see what Cambodia has faced in the past are simply unbelievable. To think that tragedies like these can still happen (and still do) is depressing. I admire the strength of the Cambodian people who were able to move on past these tragedies and be able to find a way to confront it.

Skulls unearthed from the mass graves. They have a huge stupa (basically a tomb monument) for the victims with their skulls organized by age and gender. So so so many of them.

They've only disinterred 86 mass graves. There are still 43 that have been untouched. The scariest part is that you look around and it just looks like another other grove or orchard rather than a place of genocide.

The S-21 prison (now Tuol Sleng genocide museum) used to be a high school but the classrooms were turned into prison cells where political prisoners were tortured and then killed in the Killing Fields.

A view of a cell up close.

The Khmer Rouge kept meticulous notes on the prisoners, including photos and details of their torture. It is disconcerting to see the faces of the victims up close, especially the young children.

Both Ang and I are moving on after Cambodia. Ang is going home and I'm off to Laos. I really wish Ang could stay but I know that not everyone is as irresponsible as I am and able to travel for so long. But having her here during the last 2 weeks has definitely a high point in my travels. Being able to hold a real conversation and knowing that someone is there to support you is so important, especially out here where its so easy to feel lonely and disconnected from home. We had some really great laughs, especially goofing off at Angkor Wat and holding each other through the leeches. Ang, I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am that you came out here and how great these last few weeks have been. I wish you could stay!!!!! I love you and I hope you have a safe trip home! We will definitely remember this trip forever!