Sept 29/30 Overnight in Akhu Village some trekking in jungle & white temple

The guesthouse we are staying at is Baan Bua guesthouse, they do have an website it's here . It's a cute little place in the city that seems so quiet and relaxed from the business of the streets.

So to continue from last post, we took a long tail boat on the river to the elephant visitor place. The elephant ride Dean & i took was for 30 mins in the little village outside of Chaing Rai, it was okay great scenary different to ride an elephant as you feel all the muscles move. Dean sat as the driver and he felt the scratchy hair on his legs the entire ride. 30 mins was enough of a ride and we paid 400baht which works out to about 12.50CAN. From there we took Jeep up to the hilltribe villages. Got to see how they lived. We slept overnight at the Akha village about 3:00pm, we had a deck type area to chill out at, while the father made tea and coffee for us. We spent the night up on the deck most the time, Noi our guide mentioned we could walk around but we didn't do too much that night. The sun went down about 5:00pm. We had an awesome supper of rice, soup, pork.

As we arrived on a night before a celebration, everyone had firecrackers. Mostly the ones that made noises. All the kids and adults seemed to look for a place to make it sound the best. The firecrackers are meant to scare of spirits.
We slept in the area of the deck, i dislike sleeping on a mattress on a hardfloor. I had to do yoga in the morning for my body not to hurt. The rosters started their
called about 6 and seemed to keep making noise until 9. In the morning, after breakfast we went for ahike up the mountain to see the plantations. Coffee, Tomatoes, all sorts of vegetation. Our guide Noi, had a friend of his take us up for the hike and OMG, i should have gotten into better shape. The uphill was killer and this cold is still hanging on so i can't seem to breath good yet. I thought the going up part was hard but the going down was almost worse cause my hamstring felt like i pulled it. We had lunch and then hiked up to the waterfall. That was about a 1 mile uphill and that was not as tough but i still needed some breaks. The waterfall was beautiful. It was so nice, would have been nice to go down to the bottom but the mist would have completely drenched our clothes. We still had to visit the white temple at the end of the trek. Man it was beautiful. It was different as the mural on the inside of the temple was pop art. It was to represent all the current temptations that we need to resist to reach enlightenment. Wish i could have taken pics but not allowed inside a temple/wot. I have a brochure that will show more detail. They had the twin towers with a snake coiling itself around them. Star Wars figures like Jabba the Hut, The Matrix, cellphone, watches, and other things. We got to the temple at about 5:00 and it was a cloudy day and Dean got some good shots. As i needed an immediate toilet when we got out of the jeep i didn't have time to grab my camera or more time to take better pics of the temple. Hoping the pictures do it justice. i purchases some amazing pics from the gallery. Got back to guesthouse about 5 and it was so nice to have a long shower as i felt so hot and dirty.

Trains, Tuk Tuks & Chaing Rai

The 14 hour train ride to Chaing Mai turned into 15 hours 15 min. As the train was late. We decided on the train to go up to either Chaing Rai or Pai, which ever bus left first. The bus to Pai left at 2 we got to the bus station at 205, if the bus was on time we would have made Pai but i guess it wasn't meant to be. So we walked over to the other teller for Chaing Rai tickets and the bus was leaving at 215. we had enough time to pick up some water and hope on the bus before it departed. We are deciding if we go see Pai after Chaing Rai but we are thinking maybe not as all the travelling isn't that much fun and we might be missing out on sometime amazing here in Chaing Rai.

Tommorrow we are off to do some trekking in the Chaing Rai, we will be taking a jeep and travelling to hot springs, elephant ride, visiting 4 different tribes, sleeping in the Karen tribe overnight and next day going to another Tribe and waterfall. I'm charging the camera as we speak, think i missed out on some pics.

THe guest house we are staying


well my internet time is up to update this at a later date.

Love ya all.

Grand Palace & Wat Pho

Today was the day to visit some temples here in bangkok. We started at the Grand Palace, Many Thai's stopped us to tell us about borring clothes. Apparantly there is strick clothing restrictions. Because Rachel & I were wearing tank tops we had to borrow shirts - we looked like factory workers. white or blue button up blouse type shirts. Dean had a t-shirt and pants on so he didn't have to bother with the deposit and borrowing clothes. Cause i was wearing a dress and Rachel was wearing pants that could be pulled down we didn't have to borrow a long skirt, but many people had to as you could tell. Some ladies wearing hawaiin shirts and a thai like - elephants and design type on the long skirt. It was amazing but so many people and it was so hot. Lots of restoring and building of new temples. We seen the emerald Buddha, he's actually made of Jade. We seen about half the Palace and ended up walking out the exit.but we weren't bothered to walk back and check out the other side. From there we walked the one block to Wat Pho. One block by on the side of the Grand Palace was a very long walk, especially in the heat.

i enjoyed Wat pho much more, less people, got to see the reclining buddha. lots of little structures. The temples are amazing and wish you could take pics but i understand why you can't.

Right now we are in the lobby of the hotel we stayed at. It's 9pm and we are killing time to hit the train to Chaing Mai - the train ride will end at 12 noon tomorrow. We have little cots to sleep on. When we get into Chaing Mai, we will decide if Chaing Rai or Pai will be our next destination. Dean and Rachel need to get into the country and i agree, bangkok is busy and i don't feel the culture i see lots of backpackers and tourists but noone is bothered to talk and chat with you.

Well time to get going to the train now. See ya all soon.

Saturday in Bangkok

We attempted to go to Grand Palace today and the Thai's where telling Dean - long pants. He was wearing shorts and they were warning him to wear pants. As girls the dresses we were wearing was fine but for my arms showing but i brought a shall to cover up. We walked the end of the street trying to decide if we go to the mall or buy pants and go to the Wat's. At the end of the corner, a scout hooked us into looking at a boat ride on the river. We walked throught another market to the harbour or boat place. We decided why not, Dean & Rachel never been on the river in Bangkok. It was a nice 1 1/2 trip got to see some amazing houses and mini temples and the old/poor side of bangkok and go to see the Grand palace from the river. Afterwards we took a taxi to MBK. A huge mall. We went straight up to the 7th floor to eat. We decided on a Japanese restaurant and it ever good. The mall was crazy sort of like a mini market indoors, on certain floors. A lot of electronic stalls, t-shirts, etc anything you may want. Wasn't in the shopping mood and only bought a small purchase. We took another Tuk Tuk from MBK back to Khao San Road. I'm glad i'm not driving in Bangkok. The traffic is crazy, bumper to bumper with motorbikes, tuk tuks taxi's and other vehicles. The tuk tuk's and motorbikes weave in and out of traffic and beside other vehicles and anywhere they think they can go and fit through. Only thing with the tuk tuk's is the smell of exhaust and to hang on cause they go really fast. So it's 730pm now and we are relaxing in our rooms at the Sawadsee House. Dean and Rachel are playing on my Nintendo DS playing the brain ages as i'm on internet. Not sure if we can go swimming in the pool as it's dark already. Probably have to eat supper sometime soon. Tommorrow intales going to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho with the proper attire. Swimming and then at 10 pm we get on the train to Chaing Mai. It's an overnight train with 2 beds and i think we have a privite room. We'll get into Chaing Mai at noon the next day.

I'm Here

Arrived in Bangkok last night, Dean and Rachel meet me at the airport. I snuck up on them as they were searching the wrong gate cause i needed to walk to the meeting place in the airport. The airplane was good, i liked my seats on the 11 hour flight to Seoul, but the 5 hour flight to Bangkok was okay but i hurt my neck as i slept and forgot the neck pillow. The guy beside me was a spending machine by purchasing on the Sky shop - Duty free items to purchase on the plane. The heat is hot, very humid. Woke up very early with my neck sore, i really need to get used to this, no contour pillow. Finally Dean and Rachel awake and we go for breakfast. We have a American breakfast - eggs bacon and toast. Dean tells me it's a good breakfast for Thailand as most places can't do eggs or the toast is white and dry. I just got out cash and amazed at the amount that my bank account shows.

Dean tells me it's my day....a day that i call the shots of what to do. Well the shopping list is huge, Mom your purse is too small, i can't hold everything i want. I need a dress/saragon cause i want out of these shorts already and it's not even 11:30am yet.

We are staying on Khao San Road which is a hum of vendors...i thought it was busy last night i was wrong there are so many people, so many smells, can't walk a block with a new smell, food vendors, cd vendors, lots of bank atm's, taxi's and tuk tuks.
Constant people asking to take you somewhere or to give you a piece of paper/advertisement.

So today i think, we are going for a massage, trying to get my shopping list done and whatever else hits our fancy.

Sunday night we start our train journey to Chaing Mai.

Well that's it for now, post later.

D-Day 1

ahhh, i'm so excited. Last evening at my duplex before the trip. Doing last minute stuff now, like taking a hot bath, painting toenails and vacuuming bedroom floor, cleaning kittylitter. You know important stuff.

D-Day 2

OMG, can't believe it, one more full day till i leave on a jetplane. I'm nervous but excited. Feel like my to do list is a mile long but it's really not. I took the rainjacket that i decided on, to the roughriders game on Sunday and it rained so i needed to use it but i couldn't zip it up. Upon examination the zipper is worn out and i can't zip it and to get it fixed is not worth the jacket and i don't have enough time. so i'm taking the blue rain poncho plus a dollarstore poncho with a carrying case. Thanks Jay, wonder how it will work. Oh my, cause of the anxiety i am having a constant headache now since this afternoon. It did subside for a while but it's creeping in again. Time to cross more of the to-do list cause i don't have much time left and then the headache should lessen too.

Later

Decision made

I'm taking the green rainjacket, it rolls up nice and more protection from the rain. 4 more days...omg i'm so excited. Ipod is ready but i have 1.6GB of space left...any recommendations for more music to download?

Decision #2

Rainjacket
Choice 1




or Choice 2







or All of the above.

D - 6 days

So i'm getting super excited....can't wait. Still stressing about the to-do list but when i review the list there really it's a whole lot i need to do.

Tested my backpacks yesterday to decide if i had enough room to carry all my stuff and which one to take the blue one or the black one, i've decided to take the black melaluca bag and get a new bigger one in Bangkok.





I have some more research to do. As i'm in Seoul for 9 hour layover i figure maybe i should leave the airport and sight-see. So far haven't found any info, but my researching was a bit sketchy as i was internet surfing also and decided to print out the map to the Incheon Int'l Airport.

Oh is that rain i hear outside i might be testing my rainjackets tonight

Asia, here I come

D-16 days, so starts the countdown to my flight to Bangkok. I am going to be visiting my brother Dean in Asia. I am going for a full month. Dean, Rachel and I will be travelling together to explore Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia.

I will be arriving in Bangkok on September 24 at 11:00pm, Dean and Rachel will be meeting me at the airport. Dean wants to see my face when I first see Bangkok and experience the intense, sweaty heat. We will be shopping for some essentials and visit with Rob and his girlfriend. Rob is Dean's friend, they met 24 years ago as they went to school together, played hockey together, etc. I babysat Rob and his brothers and sisters a couple times. My mom worked for Rob's Lawyer dad (he's now a Judge), for 11 years in Prince Albert. So we generally knew the family really well back in our PA days. Rob has been living in Asia for about 3 or 4 years now. He recently bought a place and Dean tells me he is teaching English in Bangkok. I know he has some stories and probably knows the places we should visit while we stay in Bangkok. I think the plan is to stay in Bangkok for 3-4 days, Rachel and Dean are starting the itinerary with timeframe so they can start booking flights.

I know in our stay we will be going to the famous backpackers haven of Th Khao San Road for some food and beer and maybe a place to lay our head.

 

This starts the blogging experience, I will continue to update this blog every 2 or 3 days till I leave. If I get internet access I will update on this blog or fb. I will be keeping a paper journal so I remember all the names, places and things we do and so I can update everyone on the journey.