Three go wild in Thailand
Wellllll, hellooooo blog faithfuls. Apologies for being slow in writing, but things have been moving very quickly since we arrived in Thailand, and I just havn't had time to update you all. I have been recieving many requests for news, so seeing as we are pretty much planted on the beach on our paradise island, I thought I could spare the time!! hehe
So, where did I leave you all last time...Oh yes, Nele and I were returning to Bangkok to meet with Laura and continue our adventures.
We met Laura without any trouble and became a merry band of three. After a quick discussion and a few drinks of celebration in the backpacker haven of Kho San road, we decided to hot foot it up to Chang Mai in the North for the following days, before heading down to the party island of Koh Pangyan for the legendary full moon party. That gave us 5 days to "do" the North. Without hesitation, we booked ourselves on the overnight train from BKK to Chang Mai the next night. During the day in the 'Kok, we decided to lounge about in our favourite garden cafe in an alley behind mighty Koh San, where, to my later dismay, I chose to consume a......TUNA SANDWICH. The said Tuna delight was considered "a little dodgy" at the time of consumption, but not enough to put off the hardened traveller like myself. It was only later, when I came down with an EXTREME fever, total bloating and bodily redness, accompanied by extreme diahorrea did I regret the lunchoen choice.
Lukily I was well enough by suppertime to hop on the train to the cloudy North. The experience of catching a train in BKK is about as opposite to the experience in India as you could hope for - the station was clean and peaceful, the train was waiting on the correct platform, and was clearly marked in English. There was also LOTS of random guys in uniform (at every corner) checking your ticket and smilingly sending you the right way. Of course in India, there would be many people everywhere, but they would all nod and gesticulate wildly if you asked them anything (they wouldnt know what you had asked!) and then they would ALL send you the wrong way (they wouldnt know the way, but wouldnt like to tell you that. They would prefer to send you SOME way, rather than say they didnt know). Cute! I love India....
Anyway, the train itself was also very well organised - we were herded into the sleeper carriage, and allocated our beds, then given a slap up meal before we fell asleep to the motion of the train. Laura hasnt been to India of course, and was a little disturbed by the grimeyness of the train, but Nele and I were nothing but impressed with how clean and efficient it was...
On arrival in Chang Mai, we met a really batty Thai lady called Mama Honey on the station - she told us she had a couple of guest houses, and that we should go and stay. We immediately liked her, although she was a little mental to deal with at 6am in the morning....so we gave in and let her take us to her hotel. It transpired to be one of the best value hotels I have stayed in - clean and decent with a SWIMMING POOL!! TRES BON.
After settling in, Mama Honey walked us to the ATM herself, and then assisted us to spend all the money we had just withdrawn on activities around Chang Mai booked through her travel desk! We didnt mind though. She was also very keen to get us to meet her nephew and son, both of whom were 29/30 thai business men who were looking for wives!! hehe.
Next day, we spent being driven around the district by Bong (Mama Honeys nephew). We took in lots of shops (ahem) and also the botanical gardens (very impressive waterlily and lotus flower collection) and the Orchid and butterfly farm. Lovely.
The following day we headed out for an EXTREME view of Chang Mai - ATV/Quadding and White water rafting. We were met by the rafting guides who were a pair of crazies! They took us to the ATV centre and waited while we zoomed about the district on our quads for 3 hours. The ride was EXCELLENT! we went up to the highest point in the district via unmade roads leading through paddy fields, produce fields and finally thick tropical forest. We zoomed through mud and undergrowth with great gusto, and on the way back (which was on a paved road), I got my quad up to 60MPH! Yeowzer!
After a long and bumpy ride into the hinterlands around the town, we came to the start of the river for our rafting experience. We joined lots of others on the trip (about 8 boats went down the river) and had a very wet and wild time. The rapids were quite high due to the water levels, and I did a bit of rapid surfing without the boat!! xtreeeeeme....
Next day, Bong came to take us out again, this time to a nearby Elephant conservation centre, which started life as an elephant training centre for the logging industry, which changed usage as soon as elephants in logging became outdated. Its now a sort of care home for the elderly eles as well as a hospital for injured and donated animals. It was OK in that they seem to be doing a lot of good work, but also distasteful in that we were subjected to an "Elephant show" where fat americans pay to be a mahoot for the day and order elephants about.....
On the way back we were taken to a hot spring - I thought it would be a little trek out into the forest to a hot spring where we could swim, but in typical Thai style, it transpired to be an organised government run park where you could (in an organised fashion) swim in a hot swimming pool, or boil an egg in a concrete pool made just for that purpose. There were also fake geysers and egg sculptures all around the gardens. A bit sterile for us, and it started to rain, so we retreated back to the car and asked Bong to take us back to the hotel.
Next day we chilled out until it was time to get the train back to BKK. We had a day in the 'Kok and then hopped on ANOTHER train, this time to Surat Thani in the South, where we were going to catch a ferry to the party island of Koh Pangyan in time for the famous FULL MOON PARTY. On the train, we met lots of people who were heading the same way as us - apparently this full moon party was the 20th anniversary party, and was going to be BIIIIIGGGGG! How Exciting....
When we arrived in Surat Thani, it was obvious the party was bringing people in especially from all over Thailand. The ferry people where having cardiac arrests trying to fit everyone into the busses down to the port. We made it in time to catch the right ferry, and peacfully cruised over to the islands. On the 2.5 hour journey, we met a hotel rep, who told us about a lovely sounding little hotel on the beach made up of beach huts - sounded just our sort of thing, so we booked in for a couple of nights. When we arrived on the island, we were herded into the back of a van which sped through the palm lined lanes to our little beach. WELL, it couldnt have been more beautiful if it had tried!! Clear azure water, blue sky, white powder sand...magical. We eagerly checked in and went for a swim. Our spirits were very high and we were really looking forward to the next days...
So, where did I leave you all last time...Oh yes, Nele and I were returning to Bangkok to meet with Laura and continue our adventures.
We met Laura without any trouble and became a merry band of three. After a quick discussion and a few drinks of celebration in the backpacker haven of Kho San road, we decided to hot foot it up to Chang Mai in the North for the following days, before heading down to the party island of Koh Pangyan for the legendary full moon party. That gave us 5 days to "do" the North. Without hesitation, we booked ourselves on the overnight train from BKK to Chang Mai the next night. During the day in the 'Kok, we decided to lounge about in our favourite garden cafe in an alley behind mighty Koh San, where, to my later dismay, I chose to consume a......TUNA SANDWICH. The said Tuna delight was considered "a little dodgy" at the time of consumption, but not enough to put off the hardened traveller like myself. It was only later, when I came down with an EXTREME fever, total bloating and bodily redness, accompanied by extreme diahorrea did I regret the lunchoen choice.
Lukily I was well enough by suppertime to hop on the train to the cloudy North. The experience of catching a train in BKK is about as opposite to the experience in India as you could hope for - the station was clean and peaceful, the train was waiting on the correct platform, and was clearly marked in English. There was also LOTS of random guys in uniform (at every corner) checking your ticket and smilingly sending you the right way. Of course in India, there would be many people everywhere, but they would all nod and gesticulate wildly if you asked them anything (they wouldnt know what you had asked!) and then they would ALL send you the wrong way (they wouldnt know the way, but wouldnt like to tell you that. They would prefer to send you SOME way, rather than say they didnt know). Cute! I love India....
Anyway, the train itself was also very well organised - we were herded into the sleeper carriage, and allocated our beds, then given a slap up meal before we fell asleep to the motion of the train. Laura hasnt been to India of course, and was a little disturbed by the grimeyness of the train, but Nele and I were nothing but impressed with how clean and efficient it was...
On arrival in Chang Mai, we met a really batty Thai lady called Mama Honey on the station - she told us she had a couple of guest houses, and that we should go and stay. We immediately liked her, although she was a little mental to deal with at 6am in the morning....so we gave in and let her take us to her hotel. It transpired to be one of the best value hotels I have stayed in - clean and decent with a SWIMMING POOL!! TRES BON.
After settling in, Mama Honey walked us to the ATM herself, and then assisted us to spend all the money we had just withdrawn on activities around Chang Mai booked through her travel desk! We didnt mind though. She was also very keen to get us to meet her nephew and son, both of whom were 29/30 thai business men who were looking for wives!! hehe.
Next day, we spent being driven around the district by Bong (Mama Honeys nephew). We took in lots of shops (ahem) and also the botanical gardens (very impressive waterlily and lotus flower collection) and the Orchid and butterfly farm. Lovely.
The following day we headed out for an EXTREME view of Chang Mai - ATV/Quadding and White water rafting. We were met by the rafting guides who were a pair of crazies! They took us to the ATV centre and waited while we zoomed about the district on our quads for 3 hours. The ride was EXCELLENT! we went up to the highest point in the district via unmade roads leading through paddy fields, produce fields and finally thick tropical forest. We zoomed through mud and undergrowth with great gusto, and on the way back (which was on a paved road), I got my quad up to 60MPH! Yeowzer!
After a long and bumpy ride into the hinterlands around the town, we came to the start of the river for our rafting experience. We joined lots of others on the trip (about 8 boats went down the river) and had a very wet and wild time. The rapids were quite high due to the water levels, and I did a bit of rapid surfing without the boat!! xtreeeeeme....
Next day, Bong came to take us out again, this time to a nearby Elephant conservation centre, which started life as an elephant training centre for the logging industry, which changed usage as soon as elephants in logging became outdated. Its now a sort of care home for the elderly eles as well as a hospital for injured and donated animals. It was OK in that they seem to be doing a lot of good work, but also distasteful in that we were subjected to an "Elephant show" where fat americans pay to be a mahoot for the day and order elephants about.....
On the way back we were taken to a hot spring - I thought it would be a little trek out into the forest to a hot spring where we could swim, but in typical Thai style, it transpired to be an organised government run park where you could (in an organised fashion) swim in a hot swimming pool, or boil an egg in a concrete pool made just for that purpose. There were also fake geysers and egg sculptures all around the gardens. A bit sterile for us, and it started to rain, so we retreated back to the car and asked Bong to take us back to the hotel.
Next day we chilled out until it was time to get the train back to BKK. We had a day in the 'Kok and then hopped on ANOTHER train, this time to Surat Thani in the South, where we were going to catch a ferry to the party island of Koh Pangyan in time for the famous FULL MOON PARTY. On the train, we met lots of people who were heading the same way as us - apparently this full moon party was the 20th anniversary party, and was going to be BIIIIIGGGGG! How Exciting....
When we arrived in Surat Thani, it was obvious the party was bringing people in especially from all over Thailand. The ferry people where having cardiac arrests trying to fit everyone into the busses down to the port. We made it in time to catch the right ferry, and peacfully cruised over to the islands. On the 2.5 hour journey, we met a hotel rep, who told us about a lovely sounding little hotel on the beach made up of beach huts - sounded just our sort of thing, so we booked in for a couple of nights. When we arrived on the island, we were herded into the back of a van which sped through the palm lined lanes to our little beach. WELL, it couldnt have been more beautiful if it had tried!! Clear azure water, blue sky, white powder sand...magical. We eagerly checked in and went for a swim. Our spirits were very high and we were really looking forward to the next days...
posted by Abster at 9:33 am
2 Comments:
Hi hi kudos nice to see you back in action after a little break :-)
Thanks Radhesh! good to know you are still there... ;)
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