11.23.04 - Notes from the Bangkok airport on my way to Perth, Australia

Good afternoon from the Bangkok airport. Arrived to find out that indeed I needed a visa...oops!!! But thanks to the wonders of modern technology I was able to apply for the visa online here at the airport. What a relief! I'm so excited about spending Thanksgiving with Brooke, Chad, Tyler and Dylan in the land down under. I don't know if I could have faced going back to town had my entry been denied. Certainly not after having spent the morning with some friendly faces from back home - Steve Golden and his friend Matt. I had hoped to spend more time seeing the sights with them - more than the 3-4 hours that we had, but it was nice to have that contact...and it made me a little sad for home...and for other people to talk to!

We spent the morning at the Grand Palace which was a veritable hive of activity. People everywhere - it was a bit too much and terribly overwhelming. Since I had showed up in a dress and flip flops I was immediately herded into the "borrowed clothes" office where I was handed a button down shirt, socks (new) and given a pair of shoes. Charming - I was the total picture of loveliness. I could've worn more "appropriate" clothing but I'd heard about the availability of borrowed clothes and I just had to do it! The grounds are quite compact and the crowds are moved through rather swiftly but I must admit that it would have been helpful to have a tour guide...we just weren't organized enough.

I think it also had to do with the fact that myself in particular has grown quite weary of people voluntarily "offering their services". Bangkok has done that to me as there seem to be many schemes going on throughout the city - from making travel arrangements to buying gems. Yesterday we'd been walking around some temples in search of the amulet market when we were approached by a very friendly gentleman who shared some tourist highlights with us and among one of those was the "export market." Right there I knew something was fishy but he nevertheless pointed us in the direction of a "government run tuk tuk" and arranged to have the driver take us to two temples. Both were interesting and off the beaten track. But it was upon arriving at the second temple (the site of the seated buddha) that it got really weird. The driver drops us off and we enter the temple. Two guys approach us - one Thai, the other a foreigner - and they too are quite helpful explaining details of the temple...and tell us about the amazing gems that they bought and were planning to re-sell back home. Apparently this was something they did quite often and explained the ins and outs of the customs regulations when it comes to buying personal gems. Interesting...but I wanted out....too creepy. We go back to the tuk tuk and our driver says he has to use the toilet. At this point we are approached by another 2 guys - same description as above and some "story." Too creepy. We were obviously planted in that location. So the driver comes back and I say no export market..and he makes up some sad story about him needing to take us there to get this special validation for free gas. Fine - I say I'll give him 5 minutes....and I didn't last that long. I was pissed off - it took MC a little longer to clue in I think...but I wanted no more of that. We paid the driver and walked away. The driver seemed a bit mifted...but who cares. It was a longer walk back to where we originally started...but we were determined to make the most of the day. The ride around town in the tuk tuk wasn't a complete waste but you feel silly for a having agreed to it in the first place. As soon as you let your guard down.... Needless to say when we arrived back at where we started, the first guy to offer us the friendly advice was still there...and he was sure to point us in the direction of the amulet market - what we had set out to do 2 hours earlier.... I feel better writing it down and telling you and I just want it to serve as a lesson learned and for other people to be on the look out for when travelling.

Apart from that episode I quite enjoyed Bangkok - and it was well worth the 16 hour bus ride from hell. First we boarded a mini-bus for a 2-3 hour ride to Surat Thani. Then we waited approx. 2 hours basically on the side of the road waiting for the bus to come by. There was a bus office but no one had any information. The fus finally arrives and we board....along with 32 people crammed in a double decker bus - 4 people to a row...and now that I think of it there must have been some extra people stashed in the lower part of the bus. To top off the cramped conditions the on board entertainment was dismal - "Dino Croc" - what an abysmal movie. I dozed on and off, my head propped up with the inflatable next pillow, my knees around my chest, the broken AC vent blowing cold air on my head and a Swedish girl leaning up against me....needless to say I was happy when the bus dropped us off on the side of a street in Bangkok at 5am!!! Good times. We made our way to the hotel - the Phra Athit Mansion (in the famous Khao San Rd. area) and caught a few winks before heading to the Chatuchak Market (weekend market).

We took a bus for approx the cost of 1 cent....I was floored - bu then there was the market. The market was spectacular - hundreds, perhaps thousands of stalls, selling clothes (old and new), trinkets (old and new), puppies, fish, bunnies, food...you name it. And it was just crammed with people...and the heat!! But I was in paradise. I honestly didn't buy that much stuff but it was just great to experience it.

Other highlights - to avoid boring you to death:
- The Red Cross Snake Farm: Venomous snake demonstration. The center is the only anti venom harvester in Asia. The handlers are nuts - taunting the cobras, etc. Even more ridiculous were the people lining up to touch and have their photos taken with these creatures. There was even a demonstration of the "milking" process - the handlers plants the fangs on a petri dish and milks the venom from the "cheeks" of the snake. Very cool and VERY up close. The photos look good.
- Took the first anti-malaria pill (Lariam) - caused some major stomach upset for this chica. Enough said.
- Great food around the guesthouse.
- Used the river to beat the traffic and heat of the streets
- I actually woke up one morning and went for a run!!! It felt so good. I'm not as out of shape as I thought.
- Walking around the Khao San area at night - what fun. And some cutes things to buy.
- Oh yeah...I got my nose pierced. It's something I'd thought about and seemed appropriate on this journey. The hole will grow back in. It was either that or get a tattoo, my hair braided or get dreadlocks...those seem to be the things to do. The place was very clean - and they knew what an autoclave was! ;) But honestly it hurt. The guy basically just sat down next to me, took the "diamond" stud and poked it in the left side of my nose. I felt a pop as it went in and another as it poked through the other side. It hurt. It made me cry/ tear. MC took photos. Who knows how long it will last...I might be on to something new and better!

I was really quite happy to see Steve today (I can't thank him enough for tracking me down when I'd given up hope) and it was quite surprising how much it made me miss home. I've felt a bit disconnected lately. I've been travelling 40+ days and I'm not sure if I've really grasped what it means...and what my next steps will be. I may have mentioned this all before - but it is a recurring theme in my mind. I expect to have huge revelations, great, deep thoughts....but I'm just not there. When will that come? It does help to write it down though. I'm still learning to chill....which was so much easier in the beach atmosphere. Still looking for my groove. The reality check with Brooke is much needed....and long overdue.

11.19.04 - Update and notes from Kata Beach/ Phuket

Wow - it's been some time since I last gave an update. Why? I think because, despite all the new places and adventures it seems to be life as usual. But there is still so much to share. So after a night of restless sleep I enjoyed a hearty european breakfast (love the bread, cheese and jam combo) out by the pool and ventured in to use the computer...and here I am. Figured it was the best time to do before I head to Bangkok tonight on a 16+ hour bus ride (the lengths I will take to add a little adventure in my life!!!)

So last I left you I was in Ao Nang enjoying the gorgeous stretches of white sandy beaches. Just wanted to real quickly recap a few of the highlights. First the highlights of Krabi:
- A tour through the mangrove forest/ swamp on a wooden longtail boat (the longtail being the long motor that stretches out the back of the boat that the "driver" moves around quite a bit to move through the shallow water and narrow passage ways). On this tour we ventured into a cave by foot (up a very rickety stairway), an iguana swimming in the river, and visited a local fish farm where we got to hold a "blow up" fish - which when manipulated would blow up like a balloon (a prickly balloon). I have proof - the photos will demonstrate this event.
- The Andaman Regional Fair was in full swing complete with clothing stalls, CD/ DVD stalls, rides and of course the food!!! There were even a few stalls devoted the sale of edible bugs...and you can be re-assured that I did indeed buy a bag of fried crickets and coaxed MC to enjoy them with me. They were quite crunchy - and much preferred to the meatier silk worms and other slimy fare that were on hand.
- The Krabi Cooking school - our teacher Ya made the experience so much more. We met Andrew and Sarah who we would later re-connect with in Ao Nang.

Left Krabi for Ao Nang using the very handy songthaew (sp?) system...essentially their open air buses that look like little trucks. Here we settled in to the Sea World Guesthouse. Great one stop shopping - everything you could need was available in the lobby - just had to make sure you didn't disturb the land lady during her daily shower that took place around 9:30am....she wasn't afraid to come out in a towel to help you....
Highlights of Ao Nang included:
- Beaches - from the beach directly on Ao Nang to the more remote Ralay beach (very popular with climbers) accessible only by longtail boat. There are accommodations on Ralay but not much else - but I can say that Phrang Nang cave/ beach which is part of this area is a sheer delight. I camped out under a tree and read for several hours before the rain rolled in....and it poured!!!
- Food stalls - it was here that we discovered chicken on a stick...the tastiest treat ever!!! Eating at the stalls with the locals is really the cheapest option...and provides a very "authentic" experience.
- Movies - it was actually in Krabi that I discovered that showing movies throughout the evening was a great way for guesthouses, hotels and restaurants to draw customers. Often these are timed around the rain - but most often it's in the early evening/ evening. We watched Shrek 2 at Sea World and it was so great to see so many "farang" (foreigners) equally enjoying the movie. But I have to say that if you had to rely on the sub-titles it was a completely different experience. It must have been a pirated copy/ pre-release of the actual DVD so whoever was doing the subtitles was quite challenged on many fronts. Funny to follow along.
- Watched a guy at the guesthouse play MTX and he quite enjoyed it (along with the kids watching him). This was a game I had worked on. The games library also included Shrek 2 - which made me very proud.
- Met up with Andrew and Sarah at Ao Nang Seafood which was followed up with a trip to "Rockz" for some live rock n roll. The music were great - but the lyrics were attempted but never perfected. I think I helped the singer along a time or two! ;)
- More massage - I found a favorite place The Taak Massage Shop that I visited daily. What a delight...I can't say enough about both the Thai and oil massages.
- Afternoon rains that started like clock work. Some good times were had trying to make it just a little farther and trying to find shelter. I laughed so hard everytime.
- Watching people from all over the world walk the streets.

Left for Ko Phi Phi on 11.13.04 - we'd heard so many great things...so I was bound to be a little disappointed. The place is overrun by tourists (especially during the day) and the value for the money just isn't there. We ended up paying 3x more for a hotel than we did in Krabi and the facilities weren't nearly as nice. It's a small island that packs'em in. The trip to surrounding islands was more inspiring - but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Highlights from Ko Phi Phi
- Finding accommodation: Walked up and down the narrow stretch of the island (it's shaped like a dumb bell and all the development is along the "bar") looking for a place to stay. Either there was no vacancy or the value for the money just wasn't justifiable. After running the stretch of this beach with all our bags under the blazing afternoon sun....we settled on the first place Chao Khong which is a bungalow village (but looks like a shanty town with roosters, goats...and other fine smells) located in a coconut grove on the western end of Tonsai beach). No AC and no hot water. Many folks say you don't need hot water when it's so warm out...but I have to disagree. There's just no other way to scrap off the layers of sunscreen and sand....but I managed for the 3 nights we were there. Not to mention that to get to this place you need to take a long walk down a dirt road...one that isn't lit at night. This just adds to the shanty town ness of it all...
- Boat trip/ snorkelling around the islands: Loaded up with 8 other people in a longstail boat to explore the coral around Phi Phi and surround islands. Bamboo island was stunning - the photos attest to that fact. Of course the beach on Ko Phi Phi Ley, where Leonardo di Caprio filmed "The Beach" was the big draw but what I found more interesting on that particular island was the cave where the nests for the much coveted bird's nest soup are cultivated. Quite an interesting and lucrative process - using some rather rudimentary equipment. The snorkelling was nice but not nearly as spectacular as that off Langkawi (Pulau Pusar) - it appeared that much of the coral had been destroyed. What was there was quite colorful and of course the fish are always fun to watch. And who can resist frolicking around in the warm, crystal clear water.....what a delight!
- Movies, movies, movies: I found time to watch Supersize Me, The Bourne Supremacy, Love Actually (always good no matter how many times you've seen it)...and something else....Anchorman!!! The Phi Phi Bakery is a great place to watch movies - they actually serve some tasty food while you watch.
- Monkeys: One day I came back to the bungalow to read and was surrounded by monkeys!!!! I was seriously terrorized to the point that I had to close the door and window and sit in the airless room until the couple dozen or so took off in to the jungle. I would open the door and they would immediately come up on the porch and peek in...and I didn't want to have to deal with a monkey trapped in my bungalow!!! Never mind trying to sit on the porch and read.... Those things freak me out...they look so human.
- Met some fun people the last night out - did a little dancing and watched one more movie...Jackass the Movie (always a good time).
I'm glad I visited KPP but I do feel it's highly overrated. I thought about a diving trip but had also heard mixed reviews - especially vis a vis what is promised vs. what's actually delivered. I would recommend a day trip to KPP but there are much nicer places to stay. Even the resorts on the north side of the island seemed very cramped. You just feel that you're right on top of each other.

Departed Ko Phi Phi for Phuket on 11.16.04 and settled in Kata Beach at the Little Mermaid guesthouse and bungalows. Great spot with a pool, AC and hot water!!! It's Danish in origin and there are many Scandinavians around. How can such blond people get such great tans!!! I'm jealous but I've enjoyed being among my people...hee hee. I'm pleasantly surprised by this part of the island. I'd heard such dreadful things about Phuket and was fairly reluctant to come after the KPP experience. I was ready to return to Ao Nang for fear of being disappointed again. But I had to come and experience Phuket for myself. I think all the bad stories relate more to the very developed Patong Beach. Kata and Karon beaches are much quieter...and the sand and water are gorgeous!!!
Hightlights from this stay include:
- Sitting on Karon beach under the rented parasol. Venturing out to swim periodically just to cool off and to watch the world go by. There is nothing better than just floating.....
- The BBQ fish we ate at the beach front restaurant...just wish the rest of the food had come out at the same time. That's the biggest beef with many of these restaurants...it's hard to eat your meal all at once (I love mixing dishes and experimenting with flavors) when the dishes come out every 15-20 minutes. I may choose to come back and revolutionize the service industry....the plans are in play! ;)
- The Dino Burger that we ate in the Jurassic Park themed mini-putt park. Delicious!!! (I'm making myself sick talking about the food - I will gain weight on this adventure...until I get sick like I did in Indonesia).
- The Siam Sea Canoe trip to Phang Nga national park. The day actually started out with a bit of bang when 2 tour-go'ers got into a fist fight over the self selected seating. It was really incredible to see 2 grown men in Speedos go at it! This episode was soon eclipsed by the majesty of the nature that surrounded us. At each stop w would load up in a kayak with our guide who would take us into caves where we would then emerge on the other side in these lagoons (hongs) in the middle of the island. These lagoons are closed when it's high tide so we got lucky that we could duck through the narrow openings to explore these hidden locales. The trip took up through a bat cave into a lagoon filled with these interesting mud fish. The sides of the lagoon were cliffs that rose high in to sky - covered with jungle foliage. Simply breathtaking - and I hope the photos do it justice. Next we visited Hong island, James Bond island (where they filmed Man with the Golden Gun...people were very excited about this...but I don't recall having seen the movie. MC did his best to recreate the scenes as he was quite taken with the experience. Lunch was served on the boat at which time we decided to proceed to another island approx. 1.5 hours away. It was during this transfer that a torrential rainstorm came upon us....it was nuts. It was raining from all direction. This last for about 20 minutes and I was convinced that the last stop would be cancelled...but no. Several people still wanted to swim and jump off the boat - and at first I was worried about the forced fun factor but it all worked out. The trip ended with everyone drinking coconut milk from young coconuts while the staff entertained us with song and dance...and eventually got audience members involved...including me who can never resist a little dancing. MC got it on video - and it's hilarious. Overall this was a truly great experience - the tour was phenomenal both in terms of the service offered as well as the promise it delivered on. I would highly recommend this trip.
- More massages and even a pedicure....and if I develop a flesh eating disease it's because of this latter experience. Need I say more?

Off to Bangkok today at 1pm - take a mini bus to Phuket and board a 32 seat "VIP" bust for the 16 hour trek to Bangkok. What was I thinking..... I arrive at 7am just in time to check in and head to the much anticipated Weekend Market. I'm loading up before I head to Perth to visit Brooke and Chad (I leave the 24th I believe - Wednesday). I hope to send packages back from there...so if you have any requests please let me know.

Wow...I hope to never wait that long again to update. Thank you for your patience...and I do love to receive your emails. It gets a little lonely. Kisses D

Michael's email:11.14.04 - Into Thailand...following Leo's trail

Hello everyone -

The time between updates increases as I am beginning to lose motor
coordination and the ability to actually form sentences with both
subject and predicate.

When last we spoke, I believe we were in Langkawi, Malaysia...just a
few more thoughts on that. First, there is GREAT snorkeling on
Langkawi...they have a national park which is actually just one of the
99 islands that make up the area. After my initial difficulties with
the basic concept that you CANNOT breathe in through your nose while
snorkeling (I've never been before)...I settled in. There was TONS of
fish and great coral and even got to see sand sharks (must've been 15
or so). It was amazing - and actually better than what we've
experience in Thailand around Ko Phi Phi. The "guides" actually bring
bait fish and slap the water with it about 5 feet from shore - and the
sharks actually come and when they turn their tails are out of the
water. It was amazing and a bit scary how casual these guys were
holding the fish for the sharks. The only downside was getting bitten
by these tiny light pink fish. The actual injury caused (none) was far
less than the humiliation of getting chased out of the water by a fish
half the size of my hand.

The other cool thing on Langkawi was renting a scooter. Thanks to my
really great parents, I've never actually had the pleasure of learning
to drive a motorscooter or motorcycle. We picked Langkawi because it
seemed to be the only place where we could manage the driving on the
left side and unfamiliarity of the bike without dealing with really
heavy traffic or the "middle lane" being a two-way lane. As it turns
out, Deanna is quite an excellent biker...I was passable. I think I've
gotten the urge out of my system but in my new enlightenment I will no
longer try to open my car door on the highway as bikes "share" my lane.

From Langkawi, we moved on to Krabi in Thailand...enduring yet another
ferry and bus ride where we had NO idea what was going on. "Traveling
by instinct" is probably accurate. The tough thing about thailand is
that the alphabet is different...a bit like Arabic to my untrained eye.
Luckily, I walk around with such a dumbfounded look on my face (think
George W) that no one tries to speak to me in Thai.

Best thing about Krabi. The food. Awesome. There is a night market
in Krabi Town and I was in fried food heaven (one of my many, many
weaknesses). They have tons of stands where you just point to what you
want deepfried and they deep fry, dip in chili sauce, and provide to
you in a little plastic bag. Genius. Simply genius.

In the spirit of food, Deanna and I took a day long cooking class. Our
instructor "Ya" had an amazing history and also showed us fool-proof
(hah! she hasn't seen this fool in the kitchen) methods to cook four
different curries, stir fry, soups - all really starting from the same
basic ingredient preparation. Yes...2005 will be the year of Mike
Chiang, Master Thai Chef. Or at least I have a nice book of Thai
recipes to look at before I go to McDonald's.

To celebrate our graduation from class, Deanna and I went to a local
fair where we watched 9 year old girls dance "in-sync" to Thai music,
browsed for knock-off everything, and ate deep-fried
crickets...carefully selected from a stand offering silk worms
(recommended by a passing pedestrian laughing at us), some other type
of worm, large beetles, and a few other creepy-crawlies. Crickets do
NOT taste like chicken...don't actually taste like much. Good with
beer. Like everything.

From Krabi Town, we moved on to Ao Nang beach in the Krabi area.
Wonderful. Had a Thai massage there and really learned what it is to
hurt. The massage was administered by a Thai gentleman named
"Mork"...yes really. I didn't think it was possible that he was strong
enough to hurt me. I was wrong. The other excitement was getting a
haircut. Adding to the experience was:
a. I don't speak Thai
b. The barber didn't speak English
c. The owner of the shop spoke just enough English to get by...27 words
or so by my estimation.

In the end, I just closed my eyes and hoped for the best. And actually
it ended up fine. Good for me...bad for this story.

Anyway, we are on Ko Phi Phi for the last few days. Yesterday we took
a trip to some incredibly beautiful islands (Bamboo Island, Ko Phi Phi
Ley). The importance of course of Ko Phi Phi Ley is it's the island
where they filmed the immortal, beloved film (here) "The Beach". To
all of you that avoid Leonardo DiCaprio on principle, I commend you.
But we are looking to watch the movie to compare to our pictures...it
won't be easy, but probably easier than watching the crap I normally do
(no WB over here unfortunately). DVD's here are 150B...same price as
video games. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas was sold out, but I did pick
up a few others. I think I'll offer my expertise to help them make the
games look more legitimate ("you see sir, you need to put the Nintendo
Official seal above the DOL code"). They could start by spelling
"Activision" correctly.

Best to everyone. We're off to Phuket next. And then Bangkok where
Deanna will make a side-trip to Perth to visit a friend and hopefully
Julian will arrive for his visit.

Mike

11.12.04 - Relaxing at the beach (Ao Nang, Thailand)

I can't say much more - life is really relaxing in Ao Nang and between shuttling between remote beaches on longtail boasts, reading on the beach (under the protection of a tree) and taking time for the daily 2 hour massages (only $11) I really don't know what more I can ask for... I guess it would be better to be surrounded by friends and family - so I welcome you all!!! (just make sure to get here before the high season (Nov 15th) when apparently this place is inundated with travellers).

This beach area is located not far from Krabi and is definitely less developed than places like Phuket but construction is underway and this town has apparently grown quite considerably in the last several years. It's a tourist town - but not one where you're harrassed day in and day out by hawkers. It's really quite manageable and fairly peaceful unlike a place like Kuta, Bali. But each has it's own merits I suppose and I don't regret any of the places that I've visited so far on this journey. There tend to be a lot of northern Europeans visiting (maybe it's the timing or maybe it's the type of destination they prefer). There are many island tours, diving, snorkelling, sea kayaking....and rock climbing is also quite big as climbers flock to find their way up the large rock outcroppings that make up this amazing landscape. I've opted not to take up that hobby on this particular trip - but I do hope to snorkel about is this crystal clear water.

The sea is so clear and the color is the perfect green. The days are very mellow until the rain rolls in around 1:15pm (like clockwork every day!!) and every one runs for cover. The rain lasts for maybe 30 minutes - enough to cool things off. The rain drops are huge and you get soaked almost immediately but it really is quite refreshing and such an adventure running from one overhang to the next. All I can do is laugh - it's just far too much fun. Many people along the beach head for the massage huts that are lined along the beach...I've found a favorite place along the main drag which is nicely air-conditioned. Or there's the time to take in a relaxing lunch at one of the many thai, seafood or international restaurants that line the street (it really is just one street that runs through Ao Nang and it's in a horseshoe shape). I prefer to eat at one of the many road side stalls that line the sidewalks and streets - but those vendors also tend to seek cover in the rain. I have to say that I've had some of the best food ever from the stalls - the flavor tends to be more pronounced and the food just seems like more homecooking than you would normally get in the restaurant. And the food is so inexpensive. Last night we picked up some chicken done on a skewer and it had to me to juiciest, succulent piece of chicken I have ever eaten. It was cooked right there on a BBQ that was part of the stall that the guy biked in every evening. A very compact set up. Food vendors go up and down the streets all day long really - I can't wait to see what Bangkok has in store.

This afternoon it's off to the market. On the list - Thai pants, flowy tops and scarves....and who knows what else. After that I'm sure it's another massage....at this rate I should have the most relaxed calves in the world. Those ladies really go to town working the whole body...and they especially like digging their fingers, elbows and knees into my calves and upper thighs. I haven't kicked anyone yet - but it just might happen one of these days! ;) Regardless of the occasional sharp pain or poke - it's pure bliss!!!

Off to Ko Phi Phi tomorrow where the snorkelling/ diving is supposed to be the best. Likely stay there for several days before heading to Phuket (the obligatory stopover) before finding a way to Bangkok in time for the weekend market...and hopefully time to process my visa for Cambodia before I head to Perth the following week.

11.09.04 - First day in Krabi

We arrived last night in Krabi - a town located on the river as you approach the Adaman Sea (western Thailand). This area has great beaches and it's from here that you can take off to islands like Ko Lanta, Ko Phi Phi and even Phuket. There are many many more which makes for great snorkelling, diving and sea kayaking which we hope to do in the next couple days. (Once the hives on my legs have disappeared and I've recovered from the sun poisoning.)
Last night revolved around food. Dinner was at the local night market where there are a couple dozen stalls offering a variety of "homecooked" Thai food. It was sensory overload...where to start. Well we managed to made do - MC chose a stand where you select a variety of different foods all on a stick. The sticks of food (usually meat) are then submerged in oil and fried up until they're toasty warm. The sticks are then placed in a plastic bag and sprinkled with a spicy sauce. It was all very scrumptious. I opted for fried pork with sweet basil and chili served over rice. We sat and ate a table on in the market watching the people pass and eat alongside us. Everything was so flavorful and fresh...but these was more stuff to try.
It was in fact dessert time. I've had very few cravings for sweets so I thought it was time to treat myself to an ice cream - served Krabi style. This consisted of a dish of coconut and chocolate ice cream topped with sweet sticky rice and SWEET CORN!!! Yes I ate corn with my ice cream...and it was actually quite tasty.
Now came time to walk off the food and we headed in the unknown only to come across the Adaman Regional Fair - a celebration in advance of the busy season in this area. What did we find? More food (including fried bugs and insects...I'm going back to try that tonight), clothing shops (more modern wear...where are those thai pants!!!), entertainment and rides. Wow - what a day and the last of the big partiers retired around 10pm to watch TV and catch up on the news...and to delve in to the new books we had just purchased.

Today included a trip through the mangrove swamp on a longtail boat with stops at a cave, a fish farm (the blow up fish was quite impressive - can't wait to show you the photos) and sighting of an iguana swimming in the water.

The afternoon (2-6pm) was spent at the Krabi Cookery School (http://www.krabidir.com/krthaicookery) where we spent the time learning to cut the various foods (galangal, lemongrass, courgette, aubergine, shallots) in a manner that maximizes the flavors of each in order to make curry pastes (3 kinds), curries (4 dishes), stir fried vegetables/ meats (4 dishes), fried rice, fried noodles, papaya salad, and soups (3 dishes)...I think that was it. It was an amazing class with only 2 other people (a couple from the UK - Andrew and Sarah) in attendance with Ya, the oh so knowledgeable cook teaching us the ropes. I walked away with new insight into the Thai food that I so enjoy as well as a cookbook with all the dishes we prepared. I hardly know enough - but it's a start and I hope to delight you with my new culinary skills upon my return. Ya acutally drove us back in to Krabi (the school is located closer to the beach town of Ao Nang - down a very bumpy dirt road which added more to the charm of the experience) and we had a great time talking to her and her daughter about lives - both past and present.

Off to Ao Nang tomorrow....

11.08.04 Adventures in Thailand begin

Just a quick note to let you know I'm now in Krabi, Thailand. I'll likely being staying out of the sun for a few days to let the "sun hives" subside. Not fun but that's was I get for being out in the sun and trying to be tan. There goes the Miss Hawaiian Tropics contest...guess I'm on the bigger and better things...which means now I can eat. And Thailand has some good eating and great shopping.
Hope to hit the weekend market in Bangkok before travelling to visit Brooke, Chad and the boys for Thanksgiving (leave 11/23 and return 12/1...and i have to high tail it to Angkor Wat to catch up with Michael and Julian).
I love hearing from all of you - and I honestly can't believe how quickly time is flying by.
All for now - off to the night market to test out some local cooking.
Kisses
D

11.07.04 Scooter diaries - Langkawi, Malaysia

After the adventures snorkelling we decided it was time to test our skills on the road. Langkawi seemed like a perfect place (ie. very little traffic) for us to test out driving on the left hand side of the road on a scooter. We opted to double up and take turns at the wheel. We fastened our helmets and hit the road late morning. The mission: circle the island and see what makes this place tick!
I have to admit - sitting on the scooter - that I was constantly reminded of the warnings from my family about "motorcycles" (aka. donor vehicles). But I have to admit it was kind of nice to be liberated from the taxi, tour van culture.
MC was the first at the wheel and did quite a nice job (mind you, we did pay more for an automatic bike...already too much to worry about). He had to pass a quick driving test in the parking lot of our hotel - and as we left I'm sure the guy who rented us the "high end" automatic bike was nervous that he might never see that machine again.
We headed north - along the beaches, passed some monkeys...but mostly cars and other bikes passed us. We were safe.
We headed to the Seven Wells Falls which requires you to first hike 700 steps before seeing the beauty and majesty of the falls. At least there was a breeze once you broke out of the magnificient jungle forest.
It was in the parking lot of the Seven Wells Falls that I got my turn to practice on the Karisma 125....and I did so to the terror of a bunch of monkeys that were also in that same parking lot. Sweet revenge!!!! I think I picked it up pretty quickly and I'd like to think that next summer I'll be heading to Sturgis with a new group of Harley friends...but who knows! ;)
So we proceeded around the island - dodged water buffalo, cows, monkeys, people on bikes...but it was all fairly safe...until we hit Kuah. It's dealing with the traffic that's the big challenge and there are only so many times I could get away with honking and smiling.... It was so fun!!!
We eventually made our way back to AB Motel and the lovely beach bungalow that we'd called home for the past 5 days. We enjoyed our last evening with a dip in the ocean and a trip to the local Irish Pub for their Sunday Roast dinner (this was the main reason we stayed through Sunday) and boy! was it worth it!! We both enjoyed heaping portions of roasted rib eye and roasted lamb along with roasted potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and ile flottant for dessert. We were stuffed!!! What at great end to an amazing stint on the little known Langkawi. The ocean at night was still calm with lights of the fishing boats flickering off in the distance...making it seem quite magical. (OK - now I"m getting a little sappy)

11.05.04 - Photos ready for viewing (details)

Hi all - sorry for the confusion and the technical difficulties. I realized that I hadn't included the link...but by then hotmail had said I couldn't send any more emails!!!! I tried and tried to upgrade...but I couldn't and had to wait 24 hours....so I apologize. One gets a little absent minded after being on the road for 4 weeks...and it the hot sun most recently.
I hope to spend more time in the next couple days...I have great stories about swimming with fishes and being terrorized by tiny pink fish, seeing sand sharks and scootering around the island (Sturgis here I come!!!)

Here are the details re the photos!!!
The photos have been uploaded and I'm sending along the log in details for the albums for easy viewing. I hope it works:
www.ofoto.com
Login: mdchiang@gmail.com
Password: offandaway
I've gone through and added comments to mine...and I think MC is working on his as well.
I hope this finds you well - and I can't wait for you to see where I've been and what I've been doing!!! I've not put all the ATVI people on this list since I don't want to duplicate efforts with MC's email - you generally get enough email as it is....
Miss you!
Love D
www.offandaway.blogspot.com

11.06.04 - Swimming with the fishes

Went snorkelling at Pulau Pusar - a national marine park located just south of Langkawi. It was amazing - the water was so clear and the sun was shining which made the colors of the fish and coral pop even more. It felt so good just swimming around in my bikini, mask and fins....and to think that my last words to MC were that we should bring along a t-shirt to protect our backsides from the sun...but I'm jumping ahead.
We toodled around the cove with a couple dozen of our closest friends from around the globe. Many had to go swimming fully clothed as is the tradition among the women of that particular religion. Who knew at the end of the day that I'd be envious of their foresight.
All kinds of wonderful sights - sea urchins, corals, sea cucumbers, yellow fish, blue fish, pink and green fish...and even a light pink fish that would surprisingly terrorize us by pecking at us every time we stopped to relax. Horrible little creatures that honestly made me flee the water. It wasn't the sand sharks that combed the areas that caused me to flee...it was the light pink fish!!!
Honestly it was a great experience and watching the "staff" feed the sand shark was quite an adventure - almost as exciting as watching the Japanese tourists freak out as the sharks approached them. Good times good times.
But the good times were still ahead...as little did I realize, basking on the white (ie. giant reflecting mirror type white) sand that my back side was getting "tanned". I can still lay down/ sit down - but the sheets in the hotel room haven't been exactly 300+ thread count.
What a fun day....if only we had remembered to bring our cameras on the island....

Michael's email: 11/5/04 Penang and Langkawi (Malaysia)

Hello everyone -

Hope that everyone is doing well...Monday is four weeks that we've been
on this trip and it really helps to "talk" to people from home. I
think the election really brought us back to thinking about home - it's
been a lot of the talk around here (and none of it good). We actually
watched the election coverage in an Indian buffet in Penang,
Malaysia...it was the only place with CNN - so it was Indian breakfast
(Roti - a very nice bread), Indian lunch (lamb is always good...it's
just a fact), and we didn't quite make Indian dinner - and the owner
was quite sick of us at that point.

Penang is/was fantastic. We started the city by taking a tour of
Cheong Fatt Tze's home - one of the last Mandarins of China. He built
a phenomenal house or as the tour leader said it "perfectly balanced
feng shui"...and it's completely rentable for special occassions...each
of the 16 rooms has a different theme and the room we saw was pretty
phenomenal. This guy had 8 wives and 8 houses...a model citizen that I
will attempt to emulate in the future.
http://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/

Other fun things in Penang were taking a bicycle taxi - very, very
scary and the driver doesn't actually seem to watch where he's
going...and it's the typical 5 lanes in 2 type driving around here. We
had thought about renting scooters but thought better of it...something
about health insurance running out after I quit working.

The other big to do was trying the fruit "Durian" - and Mom, I just
don't like it. We were walking by an older French couple and Deanna
somehow psychically indicated that we would like to try. Next thing
you know, they're speaking French, looking at me and laughing (hmm...),
and then the man breaks open his bag and offers us Durian. The durian
is a fruit that's supposed to be incredibly stinky (check) and
apparently many buses, public places, etc... have banned people from
eating the fruit within their premises. The fruit is also supposed to
be very, very flavorful (not so sure about this). Deanna and I agreed
that it had an avocado texture, couldn't agree on what exactly it
tasted like (like fruit mixed with cheese), but did agree there was a
distinct onion afterflavor (and not a good one just in case the
statement is noncommittal).

We've been eating really well in Malaysia - we were staying in the
Chinatown area and ate dim sum every morning. And the bill each day
was about 15RM - or $4. Incredible. I love everything about Asia.
Actually, everything but the toilets. And the humidity. And some
other things.

We're on Langkawi Island on the Malaysian side of the Thai border right
now. It's great. We have a bungalow RIGHT on the beach and Langkawi
is a DUTY FREE zone! The problem with Malaysia is that alcohol is
expensive (relatively)...but here...40 cents a beer (Tiger). Needless
to say, Langkawi has been fun and we've met some cool people (of course
at the Irish pub - you were right Chuck...there's one everywhere, but
no Raiders jerseys). The most amazing drinking, however, has been how
much water Deanna drinks. We picked up a 5 or 6 L just last night
after dinner and it was gone by 3pm today - and I swear I didn't drink
a drop of it. Granted it is 90% humidity, 95 degrees, but still.

Next up, we're spending a few more days here on Langkawi...then on to
Krabi in Thailand. We did get the pictures uploaded on Ofoto - so see
the links below. Deanna has captioned quite a few - but there's a
lot...you've been warned.

PHOTO INFORMATION
www.ofoto.com
login: mdchiang@gmail.com
password: offandaway
Ofoto is not cooperating with sending out the album links, so please go
ahead and log-in to my account to see photos. You can choose an album
and then "view slideshow" to see all the captions. We will be using
this account for all our future photos...I'll send an email when we've
posted new stuff.

Also - Deanna has been posting a web-blog. It has all of my emails and
her own "column". Check it out at: www.offandaway.blogspot.com Her
account is more entertaining and far more truthful.

Everyone take care.
Mike

11.03.04 - Notes from Penang

Hi - still in Penang. Wanted to stay in a more urban setting to watch the details fo the US election unfold. Woke up early this morning to find a place with a TV + one that shows CNN. These were quite daunting tasks - but MC, myself and another intersting American managed to find such a thing in a local Indian/ Muslim restaurant. We sat down around 9:30am and essentially sat there until we couldn't stand the Ohio stalemate any longer. Kerry is unwilling to cede in light of the outstanding votes that still remain to be counted.
I just don't understand. It will be interesting to see what the international papers have to report since sentiment is certainly not in favor of Bush.
I am happy to see that things ran relatively smoothly and that voter turnout was so high. That is I guess an important outcome of this election - that it mobilized people to vote, got them interested in politics and they used it as a forum to decide which issues, and consequently which "leader" best suited their needs.
Despite the outcome life goes on....right? Right.
Have a good day. Off to Langkawi (an island on the Malay-Thai border on the Malay side). Not too sure what to expect as I've heard mixed reports. Off to check to check it out before heading in to Thailand - island hopping, cheap Thai massage, Thai pants...and who knows what else. Any other suggestions?
Cheers
D