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Published: January 3rd 2007
Ushered in the New Year in Koh Chang on the famously tacky White Sand Beach. It was a blast. The guy that ran the guest house we were staying at rented a truck and transported about 10 of us from Bailan beach so that we could party together on the beach. White Sand Beach has about a dozen pubs and clubs strung out along the water so we went on a pub crawl. Right after midnight I got seperated from the group when I snuck into this exclusive (and expensive) party. I really don't like it when a public beach is fenced off and admission is charged, so I decided to do something about it. There was a concert and a free buffet. But I didn't stay long cuz everyone else wimped out and no one would sneak in with me. I found the gang and we partied a bit more and when we got back down the beach someone had removed the fence so that everyone could enjoy the concert. An American girl Kate and I ended up going up on the stage and dancing with the band. Typical Adeline move. The night ended with all of us except for Vincent (wuss) going for a swim in the ocean completely dressed. It was really fun. 5 of us ended up missing our 4am curfew so were left stranded without a ride to our guest house. Walking wasn't really an option as we were all soaked and it probably would have taken us at least 4 hours. Thank goodness for Thai pick up truck taxis. So the night ended well, but I can't say the same for the morning. I was the last to wake up and didn't get up until 1pm. Most of us spent the whole day nursing gigantic hang-overs by watching movies and constantly eating in the common room of our guest house. The place is called San Suk Resort and it's in the out-of-the-way place just off the main road between Lonely Beach and Bailan Beach. It's not the biggest, cheapest or prettiest place to stay but the food is fantastic and Michael, the owner, is awesome. As are the rest of the staff (just ask Vincent who seems to have reversed his opinion on the attractiveness of Asian women because of a certain staff member at San Suk...I keep telling him that no man can resist the Asian sensation. He's got a bad case of Yellow Fever. Suddenly he wants to go back to Koh Chang after Myanmar instead of going home...hmmm).
I'm back in Bangkok just for the night (not even bombs could keep me away) and am catching a flight to Myanmar tomorrow morning. Hope it's all worth it cuz getting the visa was such a trip. We had to get a same day visa cuz of the inconvenient hours such establishments keep during holiday time. We were told to get to the embassy before 6am even through it didn't even open until 9am because the Myanmar embassay only issued about 20 rush visas per day. Our tuk-tuk driver didn't speak English and ended up getting lost and confused, taking us to the Thai immigration office instead. We finally go to the embassay just after 6:30 to find out that there was no line up like we were told they'd be. We were there for 2 and half hours for no reason. Oh well. At least it's all taken care of now and nothing can keep me away from Myanmar now. Well, only my conscience as it was a difficult desicion for me to make to travel in Myanmar, what with the tyrannical military junta in power. There are camps that believe tourism will only support the dictatorship and legitimze the government. On the other hand, all the literature I've read says that the Burmese people really want contact with foreigners, not to mention the income generated by tourism. I'll just have to try really hard not to support any government funded shops, tours, hotels etc. and try to travel as independently as possible, which is really the best way to do it anyway. Plus, who knows when the Myanmar border will suddenly be closed to foreigners like it has been for so long. I decided in this case I should stop thinking so much and just do it. So Myanmar here I come.
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Herm
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Your mother's a Myanmar.
Myanmar? More like TryanScar....because they couldn oppress and torture if they wanted to. Hahahahaha. Shut Up. Burma is where it's at. They know how to git 'er done. What kinda stupid name is Myanmar anyways? What is that, china-speak or something?