Trekking and Cooking

The three-day trek started out with waiting. We were told to meet in the courtyard of the hostel at 8:00am to leave. However, we didn’t go until 9:30am. Then we had to wait at another hostel for two more people to join the group. That took nearly 45 minutes. Then we had to wait at the police station for our group leader, Dyo, to drop off our passport pictures at the precinct in the event that something happened to us. I suppose it would have made it easier to identify who was missing and to notify the appropriate embassies. That took nearly another 45 minutes. We finally got on the road around 11:00am and headed to the markets to pick up food that we would need for the trip. Then it was a two-hour journey in a tuk-tuk to get to our destination near Pai.

We started at the village of the Lisu people where we had lunch and then waited some more for Dyo to return. He had left to meet one of his friends. At this point, I had my doubts as to how well organized the trip would be from then on out. But after that the trip progressed smoothly. Our first day we hiked for an hour and a half to another village of Lahu people where we were to stay the night. I have to admit the hike was a bit rough. I had asked the hostel manager before the trip if it was a difficult or fairly easy trek. He assured me it was easy, easy, no problem. His assurance was one of the reasons I agreed to go on the trip. I’ve barely worked out in the almost five months that I’ve been away and doing a strenuous three-day hike didn’t sound like my idea of fun with me being so out-of-shape and all. I realized that first day just how lethargic I’ve been while traveling. The flat areas and downhills were easy, but the uphills were another story, and we hiked a few steeper-than-not uphills. I made it to the village though, and the group settled in for the night in our huge bamboo hut while Dyo prepared our dinner. That first night we feasted on authentic Thai curries and fried grub worms, a delicacy. The thought of worms sounds unappealing, but they actually tasted like potato chips and were pretty yummy. I ate them by the handfuls.
After, we hung around, chatted, drank, and half of the group smoked opium. I wondered though if it was real opium or a watered-down version because the majority of those who smoked a few tokes claimed they didn’t feel any different. I decided it was probably just a waste of money. The local children also performed traditional song and dance for us. It was entertaining and enjoyable to watch, but then it was our turn to perform for them. We had nothing prepared and sang random snippets of songs because nobody knew all of the words to any popular songs. Needless to say, I don’t think they were overly impressed with our performance, but I think our willingness made up for our lack of talent.

The next morning, after breakfast, we set out on a two-hour hike. It was another long and tough one, but we made it to our first destination in good time. We stopped at a small village along the way for lunch and a dip in the nearby waterfall. The water, while refreshing, was absolutely freezing. It was almost unbearable, but after awhile my legs went numb and I could tolerate it for at least five minutes at a time. I brought down my face wash and shampoo to wash my hair because we had no access to showers during the entire trek. Though I felt clean immediately after exiting the waterfall, the walk back to the village was a dirty one. That has to be one of my contentions with Thailand. I never ever feel clean, and for someone who is OCD about cleanliness, it can be frustrating. As soon as you step out of the shower, you’re dirty already, whether it be from sand or walking around barefoot (which is required at many places) or simply from sweating in the heat.

After lunch at the village, it was an hour trek to reach the elephants. The elephant ride was the part I had been most excited for. The group mounted five elephants and set off into the jungle. It was a lot of fun, but our elephant was a bit lazy and kept stopping and eating. I don’t blame her – I’d be lazy too if I had to carry people on my back all day long in the midday heat. After dismounting the elephants, we walked for another hour to get to the Karen village where we holed up for the night. That night we relaxed around a campfire and I went to sleep early, exhausted from the long day.

We had breakfast late our last day, and then before we left for our last hike, Dyo informed us that there was a truck headed our way and we were more than welcome to ride in it to our last destination if we didn’t want to walk. Three people from the group opted to walk, while the rest of us lazy people chose to ride in the truck. It felt like a bit of a cop-out, but at that point, I honestly didn’t care to hike anymore. I was a bit disappointed in myself, but not disappointed enough to actually hike. The truck brought us to the river for our bamboo rafting. We rafted down the river in groups of four for about two hours. My group was ahead most of the time and our guide navigated us through some tricky rapids and tiny waterfalls easily. Anthony kept splashing us with water and then Sarah, another girl from my group, and I retaliated by throwing moss and algae. It turned into an all-out war with moss being flung in every direction while we all tried to balance on top of the bamboo raft. The guide even joined in the action. We ambushed the other groups as well as their rafts came around the corner and everyone ended up filthy, soaking wet, and panting from the excitement. We met up with our tuk-tuk at the end of the river to take us back to Chiang Mai. We had acquired three new people on the last day and they stuffed 13 of us into a tuk-tuk. It was a ridiculously uncomfortable ride.

That night we all met up for dinner together. We went to a restaurant named Duke’s, which served all Western food. I didn’t see a single Thai dish on the menu, which was a relief. I was so sick of eating Thai food day and night that it was nice not to even have it as an option. I chose to get a pizza for myself with pepperoni, pineapple, and mushroom and I scarfed down the entire thing. It was heavenly, especially because I’d been craving pizza basically since I got to the Thailand, but never actually had it until then.

Anthony and I took a full-day Thai cooking course the next day. It started with a tour of the local markets and an explanation of the various vegetables and spices that are used for cooking. Then we left for the cooking school where we learned a total of six Thai dishes including padthai, green curry, and stir-fry. I even learned how to set the wok on fire while cooking. The class was definitely one of the best experiences I’ve had in Thailand. Our teacher was excellent – she spoke very good English, was friendly, funny, and very helpful. I’ve decided that I’ll host a Thai food night when I get home just to see if I can cook all of the dishes again. The best part of the day was that we got to eat everything that we made. However, by the end of the course I was so loaded with food that I could do nothing but lay in bed for the rest of the night.

Bumming Around Thailand

Top View Resort on Ko Lanta was our home for three days. We’d finally found a nice place to relax without any rats – always a plus. I spent one day on the beach, and the rest we just lazed around and drank fruit shakes. We took the ferry from Ko Lanta back to mainland Krabi on the fourth day. I’d booked us on flights from Krabi to Bangkok because they were fairly cheap and it would only take an hour travel time as opposed to 12-14 hours on a bus or train. Our ferry was supposed to leave Ko Lanta at 1:00pm (our flight was at 6:00), but the ferry didn’t even arrive until 1:45pm. It was typical Thailand. There’s normal time and then there’s Thai time. It’s instances like these that make me find Thailand so frustrating. Trying to do anything productive – making a phone call, using the internet, booking transport, finding accommodation – is a hassle (at least on the islands). There is a definite lack of efficiency and hospitality in the country, as well as every other person you come in contact with is trying to rip you off. I admire those who truly love Thailand and its people, but neither is particularly for me, and I’m comfortable admitting that. Perhaps I’m a snobbish Westerner but I expect a certain standard that Thailand just does not rise to. I’m sure I’m better for the experience but it’s not something I’d be willing to give another go anytime soon. You may think I’m just being shortsighted and close-minded, so why don’t you try it and we’ll discuss.

We finally made it to Krabi around 4:30 or so and took a cab straight to the airport. I’m always a bit wary of taxi drivers in Thailand, especially those who don’t actually drive taxis. Sometimes I think ordinary people come out and stand with the taxi drivers haggling for fares for a little extra pocket money. Anthony negotiated with one of the drivers to take us to the airport, and the man led us to his expensive-enough, leather interior Toyota Corolla without a hint of the word “taxi” anywhere on it. The entire time I kept wondering if he would actually take us to the airport, but in the end we arrived with plenty of time to spare.

The flight only took an hour to get to Bangkok. We tried to hail a cab to take us to the city center, but apparently the days of hailing cabs are over. All of the taxi companies seem to have linked together and now you have to buy a ticket in order to even get into a taxi. The taxis, despite having lit-up signs saying “Taxi-Meter,” are also not metered and charge you a set price to go to Bangkok. It seems many businesses in Thailand, from small-time padthai and pancake carts to taxi companies, formed a monopoly and negotiated to all have the same prices. Price differences are what drive competition and without price differences there is no competition. Isn’t there a law against that?

The taxi driver dropped us near the backpacker mecca, Khaosan Road, to look for a place to stay. I had made a tentative booking at a place called KS House, but it was nowhere in sight so we settled on the first place we spotted, Rainbow House. To our surprise, there were actually rooms available for a decent price. I was almost in shock – something was actually easy in Thailand. The man at the reception desk was also refreshingly nice and helpful, a novelty as of yet. Soon after dropping our bags in the room, Anthony and I left to check out Khaosan Road, which was littered with every type of product for sale, from fake pumas and diesel jeans to bootleg movies and music to padthai and fried rice, as well as every type of person. I loved the vibe of the place. It was nice to see so many people out and about, which was very unlike the island we’d just been on.

We grabbed some dinner on the street and then headed back to the room to get ready to go out that night. At around 12:15am, we ventured back to Khaosan Road. We went to an underground bar, Lava Bar, which played great music, and danced up a storm on the dance floor. After a bit, we decided we’d check out other places along the road and left. However, the next bar we came to denied our entrance, as did every other place after that. People were also streaming on to the street from everywhere. I asked a bouncer what was going on, why every place was closed at the early hour of 1:00am on a Saturday night. “The government says we have to,” he responded simply. I was wholly disappointed. Imagine a city as lively as Bangkok having to close at 1:00am on the weekend. I’m sure there were after-hour clubs that catered to those still wishing to party, but I didn’t particularly want to get into a tuk-tuk and trust him to take me where I was looking to go. I don’t know if the government regulations were recently imposed after the New Year’s Eve bombings or if it’s always been like that. Either way, my night was over and after a bit of ambling up and down Khaosan Road, we went back to our hotel.

Anthony and I only stayed in Bangkok for two days and two nights. Since we had stayed on Ko Lanta for extra days, we didn’t really have time to stay longer. I spent most of my time in Bangkok checking out the numerous goods lining the streets, but buying virtually nothing. I hate haggling and that’s what these markets call for. I like when the price is the price with no room for negotiation. It makes things simple and less stressful. Yes, it actually stresses me to haggle. I also spent the majority of my time buying various foods on the street. It’s not something I’d normally do, but when it’s all in front of your face, it’s hard to resist. It was like being at a carnival where there are zeppoles and funnel cakes and hot dogs for sale everywhere. Even if you aren’t hungry, your mouth waters at the thought. The second day we were in Bangkok, Anthony and I stopped at a padthai cart on the street for some lunch. We heard a siren and then heard the padthai lady say, “Sorry,” as she picked up her cart and ran with our padthai still cooking in her wok. We burst out laughing. It wasn’t as if the policeman was coming for her or even looking at her, but she took off down the street just the same, as did every other padthai and fruit seller. “Should we follow her?” I asked Anthony, and we started to walk in the direction she’d set off. We found her halfway up the block turned down a small driveway. She laughed, apologized, finished cooking our padthai, and gave us the food before turning around and running down the street again. I couldn’t help but laugh. I hadn’t seen one police officer ticket a food cart, but I guess it’s a possibility. At least we’d gotten the food before we’d completely lost sight of her.

The overnight bus that we booked ourselves onto from Bangkok to Chiang Mai of course left almost an hour late. Everyone I’d met had advised taking the train, as it can be a much more comfortable journey, but Anthony and I decided to save the 350 baht each and take the bus. Plus it saved us the trip to the train station. We were the last ones to get on the bus and ended up sitting all the way in the back on the seats that line the wall. They are the worst seats on the bus because they don’t recline and there isn’t much space. Also, when the people in the row in front put their seats back, their heads are practically in your lap. Anthony ended up moving to another seat, which someone had left vacant when they went to the downstairs of the bus, and I had three seats to myself to sprawl out on. Despite having ample room, I slept little. The bus was like an icebox. I don’t understand why they find the need to keep the air-conditioning on so high. I had scored a blanket from an empty seat, but it was only big enough to cover a small child. If I angled it right and curled up into as tight a ball as possible with my head down, only then could I fully cover my freezing body, though I was still cold because the blanket was thin with holes in it.

The bus arrived in Chiang Mai a little after 7:00 in the morning. I was surprised at the efficiency of the bus company. They had taxis ready and waiting to take us to the city center for free. Our taxi took us to one of the hostels and we decided to book in there to save the annoyance of looking elsewhere. The man in charge pushed the trekking angle so hard, and added that we’d get a night free as well as a discount when we returned from the trek, that Anthony and I signed up for it. I had not intended whatsoever to do any trekking, but it sounded like a lot of fun, and I really wanted to come away with a nice memory of my time in Thailand. We leave for our three-day, two-night trek tomorrow and hopefully it’ll be everything I’m hoping for. Somehow I doubt it.

Mishap After Mishap

The ferry ride from Phuket to Phi Phi left a half hour late and took an hour longer than it should have. Anthony and I didn’t get to Phi Phi until 5pm. We scoured the island for accommodation along with the rest of the people on our ferry but had no luck finding a place. The entire island was booked solid and a “Full” sign stood at every reception counter. After we’d exhausted every option, a tout approached me and asked if I needed a room. “How much?” I asked. “4,000 baht,” he replied slyly. Are you out of your mind? I thought. I vigorously shook my head no. “Only 2,000 each,” he encouraged. “Not a chance,” I responded. I wasn’t falling for that trap and paying an exorbitant amount of money for anything. The island people feel they can charge whatever they want because desperate people will pay. I’d rather be homeless than ripped off. Turns out we were homeless for the night. We got some Thai pancakes (fantastic by the way), ate them on the side of the road like paupers, and then headed to the beach to set up camp. It was the first time in my life I slept on a beach. We spread out Anthony’s sleeping bag, locked and secured our belongings, and settled in for the night. Anthony was a bit worried about our bags but once the sun went down you couldn’t even see us laying on the beach unless you were about to step on us. It’s kind of hard to rob what you can’t see. We treated ourselves to pizza and a few beers with the money we saved and made the best of the situation. Sleeping on the sand was fairly comfortable and it sure beat paying 4,000 baht for a room.

When we woke early the next morning, we set out in search of accommodation and got a beach bungalow on our first try. We stayed in a bamboo hut with a hammock right on the beach and only a stone’s throw from the water – it was true Thai living. We were only going to spend a night but decided to stay two. I couldn’t be bothered packing my stuff up again and I quite enjoyed being lazy on the beach for a few days.

Our second night we headed out to grab some dinner and then went to the Reggae Bar, which hosts a Thai boxing competition. They have a proper ring in the back of the bar and from 10:30pm on any two people can fight each other (and get a free bucket of alcohol in the process). The bar provides gloves, headgear, and shorts and lets the people go at it. It’s actually really funny to watch two inexperienced (sometimes drunk) people try and kick the crap out of each other. There were even a few girls who got up and fought. It was amusing to watch the girls because when one got a really good punch in you could see them apologize though that’s the whole point – to get a good punch in. It’s so different than they guys who hit as hard as they can with no sorries whatsoever. At one point, two real Thai boxers got in the ring and brutally went at each other. I’m sure most of it was staged like WWF, but it was entertaining to watch their quick feet and movements. After we’d taken in enough fighting, we headed to Carlito’s Bar to dance. Unfortunately after only two songs we had to leave because I stepped on broken glass and had a gash in my foot. I was at least wearing flip-flops. There were tons of barefoot people dancing around, and the cut would have been a lot worse had I been barefoot as well.

The next morning, we went to breakfast at a small, nearby restaurant. Something very strange was going on. Soon after we sat down and ordered, the waiter began turning people away. Everything seemed very dysfunctional, not that Thai service is by any means stellar, but this was exceptionally bad; meals were coming out one at a time and ending up on the wrong tables; the people across from us only got two out of four of their dishes; the waiter served our coffee and never came back until 45 minutes later when he asked if we wanted our check. “But we didn’t even get our food,” we said in confused unison. He had a puzzled look on his face and we realized he had never even put in our order. More people kept streaming into the restaurant, sitting down without being acknowledged, and then leaving completely annoyed. Anthony and I kept wondering what the hell was going on. We chatted to the guys next to us and advised they go elsewhere for breakfast. “Everything’s closed because of the fire,” one of them explained. “What fire?” we asked. “You didn’t hear? The Apache Bar went up in flames and took down seven other buildings before they put it out.” This happened away from where were staying and we had heard nothing of it until then. All of the locals (including the kitchen hands at the restaurant) had gone to help put out he first because the island lacked any sort of fire brigade. That explained why the place was so out of sorts – they had no one working. I don’t believe anyone was killed, but we didn’t hear anything else about the fire after that. The island went on as if nothing had happened. We walked down to the spot that night to see the damage. A whole row of stores was absolutely gutted and debris was strewn all over the street and beach. The livelihoods of some locals went up in flames that day, but the vacationers on the island went about their business as usual. It was an odd situation, and we were hard-pressed to procure any other details of the event.

Anthony and I arrived in Ko Lanta the next day, an island an hour and a half by ferry from Phi Phi, without any booked accommodation. We caught a ride with a man transporting another couple who offered to take us to Long Beach, a place we decided to go by chance, for free. The day started exactly as Phi Phi had, with every place completely booked, and I feared we again wouldn’t find a room. You would think that we would have booked a place after what happened on Phi Phi but some people never learn. The last place we came to on the beach, Deep Forest Bungalows, not only had a room but it was only 300 baht a night. We should have realized something wasn’t right if this place was four times less than everywhere else and was almost empty.

We hung out on the beach that day and then went for dinner that night. When we came back from dinner and started walking up the path toward our room, three mangy dogs that live at the bungalows ran toward us growling and barking. I jumped behind Anthony, totally afraid. I’m not usually one to fear dogs but when three of them circle you and growl, it’s a bit unnerving. Plus you never can tell what animals will do, especially virtually wild ones. Anthony stood his ground and started to walk away with me in tow, but then they went for my legs and scratched me as I walked away. I screamed and the employees came running for the dogs. I was not happy at all. Customers at an establishment shouldn’t be afraid of being attacked during their stay. What if the employees hadn’t been there to call them off? When we left the room a second time the dogs ran up to us again snarling, but the owner pulled them away. “Keep those dogs away from me,” I warned, probably only loud enough for Anthony to hear. I was tempted to head straight back to the room but I was annoyed at the thought of being cooped up for fear of being mauled so we hung out in the bar area for a bit instead. We headed back a little later, totally unprepared for the night that lay ahead of us.

When we got back to the room, I noticed my soap was on the floor, all dirty with sand. “Anthony,” I whined, “did you knock my soap over and just leave it on the floor? It’s all gross now.” “No I didn’t touch your soap,” he protested. Then I turned it over and saw the bite marks. Anthony saw them too and ordered me to drop it. “Rats,” he explained. “Throw it out and watch your hands.” I also used antiseptic hand wipes just in case, but I still felt dirty. Rats carry disease and I didn’t want to touch anything they had been near. I was totally skeeved that the place we were staying had rats in the first place, which isn’t uncommon for bamboo huts, but that they had been in the room as well. The roof of the hut was open and vulnerable to vermin except for a thin netting, which had a hole anyway. I put away all of my stuff in my bag, leaving all of the shower products the rat may have come in contact with in the bathroom. We threw my soap and soap dish outside, away from the hut. Anthony and I spread the mosquito net over the bed and sat in the middle listening to music with the lights on to take our minds off what happened and what might happen. Eventually we both fell asleep but awoke to a sharp sound on the roof. We watched the room intently, wide-eyed, for any sign of rats. We didn’t have to watch for long. We heard a noise and then saw two rats dart up the doorframe of the bathroom. We both screamed at the sight; mine high-pitched; Anthony’s a low yell. I was absolutely disgusted. I’ve seen rats before in subways in NY, but never in such close proximity and never in my room. We both sat fixed to the bed, eyes riveted to the spot where we’d seen them, and waited. We heard the sounds of them running along the ceiling and rafters. A half hour passed though it seemed like only minutes. I refused to look any longer and put one earphone in to block out the sounds. I knew Anthony could see more by the look on his face, and he sat clapping and kicking the wall to keep them from the bed. After we spotted two more of the dirty creatures under the doorframe, it was time to leave. Anthony shoved the door open and was met by the bartender who’d come to check on what all the commotion was. Anthony explained the situation to the unsurprised barman. Apparently this was a nightly occurrence in the place. He probably thought it strange that we’d freaked about the rats – he most likely grew up in those conditions but it wasn’t something we were used to.

Anthony threw our bags on the bed, grabbed two blankets and a pillow and we headed to the beach to sleep – for a second time. We sat in two beach chairs by the shore and tried to get some rest. I was too shaken to actually sleep, but at least now I was listening to sounds of waves rather than sounds of scurrying feet. We moved to the hammocks thinking it’d be more comfortable, but still the image of the rats played on my mind and I slept little.

We headed out around 10am the next morning in the already-blazing sun to find another place to stay. We found accommodation a few doors down and after thoroughly inspecting the room took it for that night. Anything was better than where we had been. While checking out, we spoke to another couple that had stayed at Deep Forest Bungalows that night, and they’d had the same problem. “I slept ok,” the guy said, implying his girlfriend had not. “We have rats in Berlin so I’m not scared of them. They chewed through our clothes though, which sucks when you only have three shirts to wear.” I almost laughed at that last part. At least we weren’t the only ones who had a problem; we were just the only ones who opted to sleep elsewhere. The whole experience really put a damper on Thailand for me. Asia hasn’t been my favorite place so far and it keeps falling lower and lower by day in my estimation. I suppose I’m just used to a higher standard of living and am not used to dealing with bedbugs, wild dogs, and rats on a daily basis.

Our second day we rented a motorbike and headed down to Kantiang Bay to meet up with Anthony’s sister. Motorbikes are the main mode of the transportation on the island, and it was startling to see how young some of the drivers were and how unsafe the conditions. While driving I spotted a child no older than nine or ten jump on a bike with two other smaller children clambering on behind him. I also saw whole families, including babies, on one bike. Most people don’t even wear helmets. I enjoyed riding on the back of the bike and listening to the wind rush past my ears. Anthony’s been riding motorbikes since he was 16 so I trusted him, but I was a bit wary of the other drivers. It was amazing how lawless the roads were. People turned two lanes of traffic into four, and tailgating was standard practice.

We made it to Kantiang Bay safely. We were originally going to head down to Kantiang Bay from the start, but it was so far away from where the ferry landed that we decided against it. I wish we had gone straight there. It was absolutely gorgeous and exuded a very laid back vibe. Anthony and I decided we’d stay in Ko Lanta an extra night and would head down to Kantiang Bay the next day. We negotiated with one of the places to have them pick us up from where we’d been staying and bring us down. It was the third place in three nights that we stayed. I was tired of moving around so much, but agreed that staying in Kantiang Bay was a much better idea than holing up in Long Beach. The last place we stayed was Top View Resort, high up on the mountains with a fantastic view of the surroundings and the sunset. It was the type of place that brings people to Thailand in hordes, and we appreciated it even more having experienced the low end of Thailand first.

Anthony’s sister asked that he teach her to ride a motorbike because she was planning on staying in Thailand for six months and would need to learn eventually in order to get around. He insisted that I try getting on the bike also. I said no but then conceded. It was a disaster. I’d never ridden a bike before, and it was a manual. Luckily I wasn’t on a road when I got on, just in a driveway. I was able to get it started and into first, but once I started to go, I got scared and squeezed tight on the handles, which only made it go faster. I drove into a patch of vines and then grabbed the front brake causing the bike to jerk to a stop and then fall over. I wasn’t hurt and the bike wasn’t damaged, but I vowed never to get on again. I’d happily sit on the back of the bike for hours, but I’m not comfortable enough taking the reins nor am I confident enough to try again. I think I’ll stick with passenger status from now on.

Islands and Other Stuff

My first day in Phi Phi got off to a rocky start. I had taken an overnight bus from KL to Hat Yai, a minivan from Hat Yai to Krabi, and a ferry from Krabi to Phi Phi. I was absolutely exhausted when I arrived because I hadn’t slept much on the bus. I thought I would because the seats were exceptionally comfortable and they gave us blankets, but I had a major headache and the bus stopped frequently. I was woken up at 4:30am to wait in line for customs out of Malaysia and then again for customs into Thailand. After that I couldn’t do much but doze in and out. I couldn’t sleep from Hat Yai to Krabi either because I was squished into a minivan with 12 other people. I eventually gave up trying to sleep and just figured I’d head to bed early that night.

I have to get myself into the swing of baht. I’m so used to thinking in dollars that are almost 1 to 1 to US dollars that it’s hard to grasp how much I’m actually spending in Thailand. On my van ride to Krabi we stopped at a food court, and I spent 33 baht on two drinks. At first I thought, “Whoa 33 baht, that’s a lot” but then realized I was still thinking dollars. Yes, 33 dollars is a lot to spend on two drinks, but 33 baht is not. To put it into perspective, 33 baht is less than 1 US dollar. I don’t like when a country’s currency is based on 100’s and not on 1’s. I find it confusing. It’s like the lire in Italy where something ridiculous like 1,500 lire equals 1 US dollar. If they’d just drop all of the 0’s, it’d be a lot easier.

When I walked off the pier on Phi Phi Island, a man called out to me about accommodation so I looked at him to respond and not at where I was going, and slipped and fell on a wet spot. I went down like a log. I was carrying my huge backpack, my small backpack, and my purse at a grand total of about 65lbs. I hit my face on the way down, and it put me in an even worse mood that I already was.

I had to walk a ways until I found a cheap place to stay on the island. Every tout told me I wouldn’t find a place for my price, but I persisted until I got to Rock Backpackers, which was 250 baht a night, cheap compared to the upwards of 700 baht everywhere else was charging. I stayed in a 16-person dorm, but I’m used to that so I wasn’t bothered. However, the bed was the hardest bed I’ve ever slept on – it must have been named Rock Backpackers for “rock-hard” beds. I think prison beds are probably softer. I slept soundly my first night though. I only woke up at 3am because my dorm mates were screaming and singing but I fell right back asleep.

I bought some phone cards when I got to Phi Phi but no one could explain how to use them. I ended up dialing the same wrong numbers over and over until I figured out the right way. I even dialed the help line but the customer service rep told me I was dialing correctly and to keep trying. I finally realized (all by myself) I had to drop the 0’s to complete the call. Some help he was.

I headed to the beach the next day for some R&R. I’d been so worn out from traveling and staying in places no longer than 3 or 4 days that I just wanted to hang out and do nothing. There was nothing much to do on the island but go to the beach anyhow so it fit well with my plan. I stayed at the beach for hours and hours alternating between my beach chair and the water that day. The beach was nice but I’ve seen nicer. I was expecting the sand to be made out of gold granules the way people go on about Thai beaches.

My second night I slept absolutely terribly. It was the night before the Superbowl, which aired in Thailand at 6am, so a bunch of my roommates had the brilliant idea to sit up and drink all night and then watch the game. I was woken up at 3am by them yelling, blasting music, and banging the door on the way in and the way out of the room to rouse the other dorm mates. I was furious because they didn’t shut up until 6am when they finally left to watch the game. I only slept for a few hours here and there and woke up with a headache. I went to the beach at 10am after being woken up again by the sound of them returning after the game was over, still drunk and screaming. There were only two who were American so I don’t see why they cared at all about the Super bowl in the first place. It was just another excuse to get drunk, not that they needed one anyway. They were drunk constantly.

At least I had a nice day at the beach slowly regaining the tan I’d steadily lost since I left Australia. I hung out with a girl, Hila, from my hostel for most of the day. Her immodesty amazed me. Tons of women lay topless on the beach, which isn’t a shock, but Hila chose to lounge topless as well as wear a thong bikini. She was practically naked except for a small triangle of lycra. There were a few other women on the beach sporting the same get-up, but I just thought it was so strange how she stripped and thought nothing of it. I’ve laid topless on a beach before (in France not in NY) but I’d never be so ballsy to lose half my bottom as well. I gradually got used to her lying virtually naked beside me but at first I didn’t know where to look when she spoke to me. It was one of those situations where you try to look everywhere else but right in front of you making it obvious that you’re looking everywhere else. I’m used to seeing breasts – my own – so having someone else’s staring you straight in the face is a bit disconcerting at first. I probably wouldn’t last long at a nudist colony. I’d be continuously staring at the sky. I suppose it’s just the culture I was raised in. Americans are so conservative when it comes to displaying the human body. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show had been banned from TV for being too racy for God’s sake. And those women are fully clothed compared to the women on TV in everyday programs in other countries. I’m not saying naked people should be all over all the time, but the naked form never hurt anyone when displayed tastefully. At least if we were more exposed to it, it’d prevent others from easily spotting American guys on a topless beach – they’re the only ones gawking.

After my dinner of authentic padthai that night, which I only dub authentic because I’m in Thailand, I was in the mood for chocolate so I headed to 7-11. Yes, they have 7-11’s on islands in Thailand – you just can’t get away from them. I settled on a Thai chocolate bar with almonds. It was hands-down the worst chocolate I’ve ever tasted. I guess the words “Chocolate Flavoured Confectionary” on the box should have tipped me off that it wouldn’t be very good. I usually like to go with local brands because they’re cheaper, and I like to sample the local goods and not just stick to what I’m used to. But from now on when it comes to chocolate, I’m going with Cadbury or Hershey.

I took the ferry from Phi Phi yesterday to Phuket. I’ve been noticing a strange phenomenon since I’ve been traveling and even more since I got to Thailand. This phenomenon – the mohawk/mullet or mullhawk if you will - was in full force on the ferry as well. It seems to be big among those of the European and Australian persuasion, and I want to know whose accidentally botched haircut spawned what is now considered fashionable. The look is short (almost buzzed) on the sides with long hair on top pointing straight out and almost a tail in the back. It’s absolutely hideous. Who thought that combing two of the all-time worst haircuts would produce something wearable?

Expenses, Expenses

I'm not going to be blogging for a little while so don't get yourselves in a tizzy. I'm currently on Phi Phi Island in Thailand and the internet is ridiculously expensive, as is using the phone. It's as if they don't want you to stay connected. Anyhow, I'll most likely post when I reach a place with some decent prices (who knows when that'll be in Thailand) and then I'll give you a nice long blog post to read.

Strange People, Strange Place

I’m leaving KL for Thailand tonight, and I have to say I’m happy to be going. Yesterday, I walked all around the city seeing the sights. I walked for hours and saw Central Market, Dataran Merdeka (Freedom Square), Petaling Street, KL Tower, and the Petronas Twin Towers. I walked more than I had in months (mostly because I was lost half the time), and I was tired and filthy by the time I got back to the hostel. KL isn’t the cleanest of cities nor is it a place to walk in peace. I was catcalled, ushered toward a taxi, or asked to buy whatever goods were on the street three times per block. It was more of an annoyance walking around the city than a pleasure. If I ever come back, I’m going to wear a sign that says “NO…I don’t want ANYTHING!”

I have to admit I really wasn’t a fan of my roommates in KL, which put sort of a damper on the city as a whole. When traveling alone, the people you meet along the way can really make or break the experience. I met one of them my first night, a girl from Australia, who talked my ear off for over an hour, and the fact that I couldn’t stand her accent didn’t help matters. I barely said more than “uh-huh” and “mmm” the entire time. I had to finally, visibly, place my earphones in my ears for her to stop talking to me. Even then, she just couldn’t help herself and continued on, forcing me to remove my earphones so I could respond. I tried saying “Good Night,” aka end of conversation, but to no avail. After a bit, I think she finally got tired of hearing herself talk or else she wore herself out and left me in peace.

I didn’t get to meet my other roommate, an Indian man, until 4pm yesterday when he finally decided to roll out of bed. He was on my shit list before I even met him because trying to change and maneuver in our tiny room was frustrating without any light source whatsoever (there are no windows), and because he was still sleeping, I felt bad flicking on the light though it was 11:30am. I wanted to yell at him “wake up, lazy ass.” I finally did turn on the light because dressing in complete darkness is impossible. I left soon after and when I returned he had just gotten out of bed. He seemed nice enough until he started hardcore hitting on me. He asked for my email and phone number (though I don’t have a phone) within the first two minutes of meeting me. He then asked for a pen and proceeded to write down every piece of his contact information – name, phone number, email, address (just kidding; he didn’t give me his address). Then he asked me what I was doing the rest of the night, invited me out with him and his brother (he wanted me to meet his family already), expressed pity that I was leaving the next day because he would have liked to show me Malaysia and take me to dinner – all within the span of ten minutes. I’m surprised he didn’t ask me to marry him; maybe he was saving that question for after he’d known me at least an hour. Thankfully, after a moment of complete awkwardness, he trotted off to have dinner with his brother. Men in Malaysia have been exceptionally forward, bordering on harassment, and he was no different. I made a point to avoid him during the rest of my time in KL.

I unfortunately saw my Australian roommate again last night. I was hoping she wouldn’t be there when I got to the room, but what can you do when you share a dorm. I immediately buried my face in my book to avoid any chit-chat or in her case, lengthy conversation. It worked for about five minutes and then she unleashed her mouth on me. I felt like saying, “Do you not see me reading? Take a hint.” I tried to keep my attention focused on “Angela’s Ashes” as she blabbered on hoping she’d get the point, but she roped me into another half-hour of nods and uh-huhs. After a sweet, but brief, silence she said, “So I’ll turn the light off now?” which was said more as a statement disguised as a question than an actual question. I was still obviously reading. Was I supposed to pause mid-sentence, place my bookmark on the page, and go to sleep because she wanted the light off? Had she never stayed in a dorm before? There are certain unspoken rules of etiquette like “Don’t turn off the light when you’re roommate is still reading!!!” “Um, can you wait?” I responded rather curtly. “But it’s after midnight,” she said snottily. I almost laughed. Did her parents tell her not to stay up past 12 or something? “I only have five pages left,” I said. She huffed and buried her face in her pillow. Maybe she was mad at me for trying to exit the conversation at every opportunity. I read two pages, placed my bookmark on the page, and left the room more baffled than bothered by the incident. I was going to leave the light on when I left just to be a jerk but decided against it and flicked it off on my way out. I’m happy I’ll have no more nights in that hostel.