Water Buffalo and Rice Fields

Trekking Day 1 - Cont.

So here I am in the mountains of Northern Thailand (closer, but not too close for comfort to Burma), aside from our group of 3, along for the trip are a Dutch couple and an Israeli guy. In addition leading us is the guide, Sonny and a young boy (approx 12 y/o) Jovi, who is from the area and is helping out. Our short hike for the day consists of walking through a few vilages, past many rice paddys (the pic on this page is from Vietnam, but you get the idea), and by a dozen very curious water buffalo. One of the villages we walk past is part of a Royal Thai project. The King pumped money into the village and started new flower and fish cultivation projects in an effort to get the villages away from cultivating poppies for opium production. We walk past a hut where a man is intently smoking from a long (approx 2 feet) wooden pipe. We are told he is just smoking tobacco, but I have my doubts. I have read however that the Kings efforts have caused the opium production in Thailand to plummet 80 percent.

It's quite a bit colder up here, but still hot during the day. For a bathroom there is an outhouse, but instead of a standard outhouse, it's an asian style toilet inside, so that's ok.

During the night we go to sleep in a semi open bamboo hut. Like I said before, we are sleeping on the wooden floor. A flat woven straw mat is all that separates us from wood. For covers, we sleep with approx 4 or 5 blankets (it's cold remember) that look like they were made a hundred years ago, and likely washed at about the same time. I am fairly certain however, aside from some mosquito bites, nothing else bit me while I was sleeping. That would change the next night however ...

Squat Here!

Oh yeah, I may have forgotten to mention that for the most part everywhere you go there are asian style toilets everywhere. Basically an asian toilet consists of a small raised platform. In the middle of the platform is a small ceramic "hole". Not quite a toilet, not quite a hole. You squat down and do your business. In many places the toilet does not have a flush. You flush the toilet by throwing a small bucketful of water down the toilet. The pressure from the water causes the floating mechanism (usually in the back of a standard toilet) to rise and the toilet to flush. It takes a bit getting used to I guess, but is suprisingly efficient. Here's a similar toilet from China. I would note that none of the toilets I have used have been this clean however. Also this photo shows a flush. Most toilets here do not have that. Usually they have a larg tub of water next to them. Inside the tub of water is a small pail. You use the pail to scoop water out of the tub to pour down the toilet. Tada, you are done! Hope you brought your own toilet paper though!

Trekking and trekking and more trekking

After our second day in Chang Mai we booked a trek to Doi Inthanon, a national park outside of Chang Mai. The highest mountain in Thailand is located inside the park.

Day 1:
The company picked us up outside of our guesthouse. Then for the next 5 hours or so we drove to the park and up the mountain. Honestly I could have don't without this part. On the way back we learned we took the long way. Somewhere along the way we picked up Sonny our guide. Finally the truck dropped us off in the middle of nowhere and we walked about an hour and a half to our bamboo hut. Next to the bamboo hut there was a small river and a gushing waterfall. We spent the late afternoon hours swimming in the river and sliding down the falls. That night we spent in the bamboo hut, on a wooden floor! All we had for matresses were small woven straw mats and some blankets. It was quite cold there since we were fairly high up the mountain.

Day 2 - to be continued - my time on the comp is running low, and I'm super funcky from the trek! Plus there's a sign next to the comp urging me: "Don'ts download, Don'ts Change Everything in Computer"

Gotta go!

Hill Tribes: Chang Mai - Day 2

Our second day in Chang Mai we booked a tour of some hill tribe villages. I kind of felt weird about this part, since it seemed so voyeristic, but nonetheless, off we went. There are a number of hill tribes that have fled the fighting in Burma. Some of the other tribes are from China. These tribes included teh infamous Karen who wear brass rings around their necks in order to make them grow.

Basically our day consisted of a guide taking us to several hill tribe villages. They live a very rustic lifestyle. Chickens, pigs, and other animals all around. The women and children would come out and try to sell us stuff. It was unbearably hot and dusty. The day ended with a visit to the Karen long neck tribe, and true to form, they looked just like you would expect. Nearby the Karen tribe is another tribe in which the women put large hollow discs in their ears to make their earlobes expand. Just like the hippies ...

Chang Mai: Day 1

Chang Mai is a rather large town in the northwest of Thailand. We spent our first day wandering around trying to find the market and booking a trek to the forest. The first night we stumbled upon the Sunday market which was pretty good. There were a lot of vendors selling handicrafts. I bought a few gifts ... for myself. Note to self - buy stuff for others. Also at the market there were a few "stalls" for Thai massage. Picture a large sidewalk with about 30 lazyboy type chairs; a sea of people reclining in the middle of the street. Of course the night ended with a plate of mango with sticky rice. Absolutely amazing.

Food Diary - Chang Mai Day 1

AM - pad thai - cafe - approx $3
Snack 1 - mangosteen (fruit) - fruit seller - I can't remember price
Snack 2 - milk bubble tea - street vendor - approx $.33
Snack 3 - milk stringy/coconut tea - street vendor - approx $.60
Snack 4 - sticky rice w/ mango - street vendor - approx. $.65

Sleeper Train

We headed off to Chang Mai on the sleeper train at the end of day 2. The train was pretty comfortable, and if it wasn't for my jet-lag, I probably would have slept well. They sold food and drink on the train, but we thought ahead and I enjoyed my $.60 street vendor pad thai on the train. The bathroom was at the end of each car and basically was a small room with a hole in the ground. Eh, it's all biodegradeable

Chang Mai is in the northwest corner of Thailand and is known for it's scenery and native hill tribe culture. There are a number of hill tribes that make up an ethnic minority here. The culture as well as the nature trekking is what draws visitors. We plan to spend two nights in Chang Mai and then head off to Pai for some trekking! Should be fun. We also plan to see some muay thai (thai boxing) while were here in Chang Mai.

Food Diary: Bangkok, Day 2

Midday - noodle soup and thai iced tea (cafe) = approx $3
Snack 1 - fresh papaya w/ sugar & salt (street vendor) = approx $.33
Snack 2 - milk bubble tea (street vendor) = I forget
Evening - pad thai (street vendor) = approx $.60
Night - chewy tamarind candy (store @ train station = I forget

Yum ...

Bangkok: Day 1

Well day 1 is spent getting tickets to the overnight sleeper train to Chang Mai. We then head over to Wat Po and see the reclining Buddha. A giant golden Buddha. We spend the night on Kao San talking to fellow travelers and lucky for us, we run into two girls living in Chang Mai teaching english. They clue us into which trekking to do while up there as we share a bucket of cheap liquor.

Since traveling is about learning and my time on the internet is running out, here's a few quick things I learned/did on my first full day in Bangkok:

1. 100 percent of Tuk Tuk drivers are shady, although we did end up getting two free rides.

2. Fresh cut pinapple in the park - 10 baht!

3. Banana pancake from street market - yum!

4. Mai au na ka - the new word I learned - it's like a really polite no - and I'm not the only one who nods their head when trying to do a rising tone in Thai.

So we're off to Chang Mai tonight for a few days and nights of trekking, till then ...

Halfway Around the World

Ok, so somewhere in my 30 hour journey to Thailand it strikes me as amazing that anyone ever gets here. It seems worlds away. Then it his me it is more than a half a world away. The moment I finally get off the plane, the scent of coconut milk and curry hits me, and I'm in Thailand.

I end up sharing a cab with some fellow backpackers to Kao San, the hippie haven in the middle of Bangkok ...

Taa Daa!

Red Backpack
Originally uploaded by I'm Leaving Now

There it is. My friend ... my foe ... for the next few weeks. And yes, only 3 pairs of shoes - it's gonna be rough!

Carry-on Baby!

43 cubic inches!!! (the maximum carry-on allowance)

Yup that's right, 3 weeks, 1 backpack, 1 small daypack. Carry-on all the way **

Here's what I'm bringing:
1. 3 pants
2. 5 shirts
3. 1 t-shirt
4. 1 pair of shorts
5. 1 sarong
6. 1 scarf
7. 1 bathing suit
8. 1 pair flip-flops
9. 1 pair sandals
10. 1 pair mesh tennis shoes
11. 1 travel towel
12. toiletries/medicine
13. 1 small umbrella
14. guidebook
15. paper/pen
16. and oh yeah 6 pair underwear

** Some restrictions apply, meaning we'll see how it goes @ the airport

Thailand/Malaysia/Singapore

Okay, so the point of this is to tell you about my trip.

Here are some guidelines for me:

1. Try really hard to write a few times a week*
2. Come back

*my internet access may be limited, but I'll try.

Here are some guidelines for you:

1. Log on now and then (in the event you still remember who I am)
2. Write a comment, umm ... please
3. There will be a test on my trip details when I come back, so I'll know who's reading, and who's not!

I think I'll just go now

Yeah ... so ... umm ... I have a blog.

We'll see how it goes.