Thailand & Malaysia

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Arrival into Bangkok's new airport. The familiar smells of diesel and smog permeated our senses.
Learning from previous trips about a service fee the taxis impart at arrivals, we smugly make our way to the departures level only to find the industrious touts have the jump on us. After almost 24 hrs of travelling, our patience wearing thin, we decide to choose our battles and agree to the 50 baht fee (only ab out 1.50).
With little adieu, we successfully arrive at our homestay. Eric greets us with heavy eyes and we agree to see each other in the morning.
We found Eric and Pok's homestay on Craiglist and feel almost immediately that we've made a good decision albeit the bed is Thai firm. We awake to the sounds of a throaty rooster crow and the nearby mosque's call to prayer. With coffee cup in hand, Eric shares his story of meeting Pok on the internet, moving to Bangkok a year and a half ago and taking over a homestay business from Tom and Jiab, and being enamoured of Thailand as so many are. It's Bangkok's election day and en route to the skytrain station we pass a menagerie of vendors, motorcyclists and the street is dotted with dogs and cats. Typical of Bangkok except this trip, the animals are sporting shirts, which tells you it's unusually chilly. A tasty bowl of noodles with sprouts, basil and beef satisfies our empty stomachs. The skytrain takes us speedily to the Jutajuk Weekend market, arguably one of the biggest outdoor markets in the world. Sights and smells assault our senses as we pass through one of 3 gates. With limited room in our backpacks, a couple of small souvenirs are our only purchases, save for a tasty fresh mango smoothie. The most amazing sight appears just before we are ready to leave. A sad clown ladyboy playing electric guitar and pan flute, power supply (a car battery)and amp on a hand truck.
Pok cooks for us the most succulent Thai meal we've tasted. We are joined by friends of our hosts. Bruce from Australia and Ko from Bangkok. Ko is hoping for a serious relationship with Bruce, but according to Eric, it'snot to be at least anytime soon. Pok is excited to have come across some last minute tickets for a concert at the arena. We pile into
home cooked meal by Ko's little truck and with boys in the back, we're off to the arena and a Thai pop show with many famous Thai singers singing Thai standards. We are energized by the 14,000 plus enthusiastic crowd.
Our favorite restaurant, the Mali is a quick stop before the dentist across the street. Peter, 71, originally from Wisconsin has lived in Thailand for 21 years. His dry wit and openly gay sarcasm have always entertained us and apparently several of European's royalty as his restaurant walls will attest. Peter tell us he and his partner who have a country place about 2 hours north of Bangkok, are running a much needed soi dog rescue and trying an organic garden. Not one of the most patient , he asks his staff if his, breakfast is coming from Chiang Mai (which is 9 hours north. Our day includes a trip out to the burbs to meet a motorcycle parts customer from eBay, plus a trip to MBK mega shopping center to see a current Hollywood movie in comfy reclining seats and for less than $3.
Blog 2
Because I have residual feet swelling from the plane, I play it safe by going to the clinic to see Eric's dr. As all my experiences in Thailand, this exceeded expectations. Walk was approx 5 min from the homestay. I waited about 5 min for the doctor. And after another 5 minutes with prescription meds in hand we were on our way back to Eric and Pok's. Total cost less than $10.
Back at our Bangkok home, Pok was cooking us lunch. Eric is an ex car race driver so he and Keith have a chat while I elevated my legs. Somewhere in the mix we meet Eric's neighbor Wes from Hawaii and his little terrier. Wes proudly shows us his organic garden on the roof of the building and vying with Eric for compost.
Being Bangkok's busiest traffic time we choose not to taxi and walk to the skytrain and transfer to the subway only to be thwarted in our efforts
to take the overnight train to chiang mai. As independent travellers must sometimes do, we are forced to make different plans. With the help of a travel agent at the train station, we book last minute seats on a flight and make a mad rush to the train for the airport. Precious minutes tick away as the train is late. But as in all great movies, we make it in time. In Chiang Mai we are met at the airport thanks to the agent and whisked away to a wonderful little guest house inside the ancient walls of the city. As is typical of Thailand, our guest house is down a nit soi (like a narrow paved backstreet). The small details of flowers and art are scattered throughout to reveal true charm. The SK guesthouse has a tour desk, ATM, restaurant, internet and laundry (less than $1 per kilo). Across the road is a beauty parlor, motorcycle rentals, and convenience "store". Our room and the property is clean, conveniently located and such a great bargain at around $10 per night. Hot water being the big bonus. A slightly more expensive air con room is not necessary as the north is cooler, even chilly at night. Our first day in Chiang Mai is sunny and we rent a small motorcycle for a tour around this beautiful city using the canals as our landmark to guide us. We spent some time walking noticing how much cleaner Chiang Mai is, than its big brother to the south. Stopping for a $2 pedicure at Robin Beauty. The owner was efficient and kind as she spoke of how her family was the most important element of her life. How she cared for her husband, child and mother. She recalled working as a teenager on a farm for the equivalent of 40 cents a day and giving 2/3 to her father, and how her father raised her to be a good woman, strictly forbidding any association with men on her own. For dinner we join a British couple Lolly and her younger boyfriend Kevin. A few beers later and we're treated to stories of Lolly and her experiences living in South Africa where her father had a British government job and Tucson, Arizona.
Early the next morning we join two men from Switzerland in a private SUV for our next great adventure. First stop is an elephant camp where we were privileged to see the new 2 day old baby elephant, still wobbly on his feet and sticking close to Mama. He was happy to breast feed which was quite an amazing site from just a couple of yards away. Keith and I climbed atop our own elephants which were the largest of the small group, and headed to the jungle with our guides perched on the bony head of our trekking pachyderms. We purchased some banana and sugar cane snacks which created much interest for our elephants who would reach behind suddenly throwing us to one side. Grabbing the side rails of our "seat" with white knuckles, our elephants amble slowly down to the river and we come out to the road as our 1 hour trek ends. Our guide picks us up and we head back to the same river, this time to traverse the small rapids on a set of bamboo poles fastened with strips of rubber tires. Keith and I shared a raft as our river guide, using a bamboo pole, steered us around rocks and natural debris and even a water snake. No one mentioned snakes before we took off. With the raft partially As dusk approaches we visit the Night Bazaar with a great variety of food, Hilltribe handicrafts, knockoffs etc. Afterwards we witness Muay Thai Boxing at the stadiumsubmerged and the water quite agressive, we wound up being soaked at the end. No Splash Mountain warning signs here.
There are many roads up the mountain and we take the wildest one of all 4 wheeling up seemingly impossible inclines. It's in the hills that we visit some hilltribe village, the Karen tribe and the Hmong tribe. Primitive and simple, these former Burmese are handling their daily work while the children are in school and animals stroll freely. Our day is concluded with a trip to two mountain pagodas and the top of Thailand at the peak of 2300 meters.
Deciding to stay an extra day we take the motorcycle to museum and the Womens prison where up advice from Lolly, we have a foot and head massage from one of the Thai prisoners who has been there for 7 years. The prisoners learn massage as a trade for when they are released. Good massage, clean and very reasonable. Less than $5 for 1 hour. The prison also operates a restaurant which again offers training. Excellent food and value.
. Highlight was a Canadian fighter who won by knock down and of course the Thai audience with their emotional outbursts and frenzied betting is a source of entertainment. Tomorrow we head to our Spa stay for fasting, cleansing and detox.
Part 3
We decide to split up our packs and leave one at the Guest House and take one on the motorcycle to the spa. The trip takes about 45 minutes. When we arrive, we notice a lot of activity. As we approach the check in building we are witness to a Buddhist monk performing what appears to be a blessing. After much chanting and "spitting", Guy who is the owner of all the Spa resorts recognizes Keith from previous times he's been to the spa in Koh Samui and welcomes us. Guy explains that many monks have been on the property to bless and cleanse the resort which has opened just very recently and this particular monk from the ceremony we witnessed has been hit by lightning, died and come back to life a la Dannion Brinkley. He is considered a special monk with the ability to channel. Before leaving, Guy invites us to the party that is being held later in the evening. We find out from the Detox specialist that the party is a grand opening as well as Guy's wife Toi's birthday. A big celebration with Bangkok media, local dignitaries and many guests.
Arrival into Bangkok's new airport. The familiar smells of diesel and smog permeated our senses.
Learning from previous trips about a service fee the taxis impart at arrivals, we smugly make our way to the departures level only to find the industrious touts have the jump on us. After almost 24 hrs of travelling, our patience wearing thin, we decide to choose our battles and agree to the 50 baht fee (only ab out 1.50).
With little adieu, we successfully arrive at our homestay. Eric greets us with heavy eyes and we agree to see each other in the morning.
We found Eric and Pok's homestay on Craiglist and feel almost immediately that we've made a good decision albeit the bed is Thai firm. We awake to the sounds of a throaty rooster crow and the nearby mosque's call to prayer. With coffee cup in hand, Eric shares his story of meeting Pok on the internet, moving to Bangkok a year and a half ago and taking over a homestay business from Tom and Jiab, and being enamoured of Thailand as so many are. It's Bangkok's election day and en route to the skytrain station we pass a menagerie of vendors, motorcyclists and the street is dotted with dogs and cats. Typical of Bangkok except this trip, the animals are sporting shirts, which tells you it's unusually chilly. A tasty bowl of noodles with sprouts, basil and beef satisfies our empty stomachs. The skytrain takes us speedily to the Jutajuk Weekend market, arguably one of the biggest outdoor markets in the world. Sights and smells assault our senses as we pass through one of 3 gates. With limited room in our backpacks, a couple of small souvenirs are our only purchases, save for a tasty fresh mango smoothie. The most amazing sight appears just before we are ready to leave. A sad clown ladyboy playing electric guitar and pan flute, power supply (a car battery)and amp on a hand truck.
Pok cooks for us the most succulent Thai meal we've tasted. We are joined by friends of our hosts. Bruce from Australia and Ko from Bangkok. Ko is hoping for a serious relationship with Bruce, but according to Eric, it'snot to be at least anytime soon. Pok is excited to have come across some last minute tickets for a concert at the arena. We pile into
home cooked meal by Ko's little truck and with boys in the back, we're off to the arena and a Thai pop show with many famous Thai singers singing Thai standards. We are energized by the 14,000 plus enthusiastic crowd.
Our favorite restaurant, the Mali is a quick stop before the dentist across the street. Peter, 71, originally from Wisconsin has lived in Thailand for 21 years. His dry wit and openly gay sarcasm have always entertained us and apparently several of European's royalty as his restaurant walls will attest. Peter tell us he and his partner who have a country place about 2 hours north of Bangkok, are running a much needed soi dog rescue and trying an organic garden. Not one of the most patient , he asks his staff if his, breakfast is coming from Chiang Mai (which is 9 hours north. Our day includes a trip out to the burbs to meet a motorcycle parts customer from eBay, plus a trip to MBK mega shopping center to see a current Hollywood movie in comfy reclining seats and for less than $3.
Blog 2
Because I have residual feet swelling from the plane, I play it safe by going to the clinic to see Eric's dr. As all my experiences in Thailand, this exceeded expectations. Walk was approx 5 min from the homestay. I waited about 5 min for the doctor. And after another 5 minutes with prescription meds in hand we were on our way back to Eric and Pok's. Total cost less than $10.
Back at our Bangkok home, Pok was cooking us lunch. Eric is an ex car race driver so he and Keith have a chat while I elevated my legs. Somewhere in the mix we meet Eric's neighbor Wes from Hawaii and his little terrier. Wes proudly shows us his organic garden on the roof of the building and vying with Eric for compost.
Being Bangkok's busiest traffic time we choose not to taxi and walk to the skytrain and transfer to the subway only to be thwarted in our efforts
to take the overnight train to chiang mai. As independent travellers must sometimes do, we are forced to make different plans. With the help of a travel agent at the train station, we book last minute seats on a flight and make a mad rush to the train for the airport. Precious minutes tick away as the train is late. But as in all great movies, we make it in time. In Chiang Mai we are met at the airport thanks to the agent and whisked away to a wonderful little guest house inside the ancient walls of the city. As is typical of Thailand, our guest house is down a nit soi (like a narrow paved backstreet). The small details of flowers and art are scattered throughout to reveal true charm. The SK guesthouse has a tour desk, ATM, restaurant, internet and laundry (less than $1 per kilo). Across the road is a beauty parlor, motorcycle rentals, and convenience "store". Our room and the property is clean, conveniently located and such a great bargain at around $10 per night. Hot water being the big bonus. A slightly more expensive air con room is not necessary as the north is cooler, even chilly at night. Our first day in Chiang Mai is sunny and we rent a small motorcycle for a tour around this beautiful city using the canals as our landmark to guide us. We spent some time walking noticing how much cleaner Chiang Mai is, than its big brother to the south. Stopping for a $2 pedicure at Robin Beauty. The owner was efficient and kind as she spoke of how her family was the most important element of her life. How she cared for her husband, child and mother. She recalled working as a teenager on a farm for the equivalent of 40 cents a day and giving 2/3 to her father, and how her father raised her to be a good woman, strictly forbidding any association with men on her own. For dinner we join a British couple Lolly and her younger boyfriend Kevin. A few beers later and we're treated to stories of Lolly and her experiences living in South Africa where her father had a British government job and Tucson, Arizona.
Early the next morning we join two men from Switzerland in a private SUV for our next great adventure. First stop is an elephant camp where we were privileged to see the new 2 day old baby elephant, still wobbly on his feet and sticking close to Mama. He was happy to breast feed which was quite an amazing site from just a couple of yards away. Keith and I climbed atop our own elephants which were the largest of the small group, and headed to the jungle with our guides perched on the bony head of our trekking pachyderms. We purchased some banana and sugar cane snacks which created much interest for our elephants who would reach behind suddenly throwing us to one side. Grabbing the side rails of our "seat" with white knuckles, our elephants amble slowly down to the river and we come out to the road as our 1 hour trek ends. Our guide picks us up and we head back to the same river, this time to traverse the small rapids on a set of bamboo poles fastened with strips of rubber tires. Keith and I shared a raft as our river guide, using a bamboo pole, steered us around rocks and natural debris and even a water snake. No one mentioned snakes before we took off. With the raft partially As dusk approaches we visit the Night Bazaar with a great variety of food, Hilltribe handicrafts, knockoffs etc. Afterwards we witness Muay Thai Boxing at the stadiumsubmerged and the water quite agressive, we wound up being soaked at the end. No Splash Mountain warning signs here.
There are many roads up the mountain and we take the wildest one of all 4 wheeling up seemingly impossible inclines. It's in the hills that we visit some hilltribe village, the Karen tribe and the Hmong tribe. Primitive and simple, these former Burmese are handling their daily work while the children are in school and animals stroll freely. Our day is concluded with a trip to two mountain pagodas and the top of Thailand at the peak of 2300 meters.
Deciding to stay an extra day we take the motorcycle to museum and the Womens prison where up advice from Lolly, we have a foot and head massage from one of the Thai prisoners who has been there for 7 years. The prisoners learn massage as a trade for when they are released. Good massage, clean and very reasonable. Less than $5 for 1 hour. The prison also operates a restaurant which again offers training. Excellent food and value.
. Highlight was a Canadian fighter who won by knock down and of course the Thai audience with their emotional outbursts and frenzied betting is a source of entertainment. Tomorrow we head to our Spa stay for fasting, cleansing and detox.
Part 3
We decide to split up our packs and leave one at the Guest House and take one on the motorcycle to the spa. The trip takes about 45 minutes through farms and rice paddies. When we arrive, we notice a lot of activity. As we approach the check in building we are witness to a Buddhist monk performing what appears to be a blessing. After much chanting and "spitting", Guy who is the owner of all the Spa resorts recognizes Keith from previous times he's been to the spa in Koh Samui and welcomes us. Guy explains that many monks have been on the property to bless and cleanse the resort which has opened just very recently and this particular monk from the ceremony we witnessed has been hit by lightning, died and come back to life a la Dannion Brinkley. He is considered a special monk with the ability to channel. Before leaving, Guy invites us to the party that is being held later in the evening. We find out from the Detox specialist that the party is a grand opening as well as Guy's wife Toi's birthday. A big celebration with Bangkok media, local dignitaries and many guests.
6:00 is cocktails, so we make our way to the front of the sala where this reception is held, lighted by tiki torches. We are pinned with fresh corsages and handed a glass of wine. The hors d'oeuvres are interesting, spring rolls were the best. A couple of Thai musicans serenade us with traditional music. As we mingle, we meet Brad from San Francisco. Super nice guy and thinks One World Spokane is a fantastic idea as we share small talk.
Our next stop is the huge buffet dinner with tasty dishes ranging from a raw food table to bbq squid. Entertainment with dinner consists of traditional Thai women dancing to a traditional thai instrument ensemble plus a dragon deer similar to Chinese New Year dragon. The dragon dances a blessing to the restaurant to the delight of the children present. We're invited to light lanterns for good luck and release into the air. The dark sky illuminates with 99 lighted lanterns floating slowly up until out of sight. Quite a spectacle. Not much later the entertainment on the huge professional stage begins. First act. A Thai boy band. Then the "surprise" announcement that we will be treated to a cabaret show. The flamboyant host introduces the first act, a half man half woman singer. And the acts just keep getting better. Incredible costumes, beautiful and some not so beautiful ladyboys lip synching and dancing. A few male dancers and just a lot of fun. Because it's a private show, I'm able to snap photos. A short speech by the owner, the dignitaries is followed by cutting of the birthday cake for Toi and a wedding like cake feeding. The mayor grabs the mike on stage singing to the music of a Thai orchestra. The ladyboys and staff of the resort engage the audience and we all join in the dancing fun. Beer and wine is flowing and the music goes until 1 am. Party appears to have been an extreme understatement as this is the biggest bash we've ever been a part of. Amazing.
The next morning we begin our fasting and cleansing program. It's the second one I've done in Thailand, so familiar with the procedures. Detox drinks and broth soup for sustenance and self serve colemas. To pass the time we have an oil massage, use the herbal steam room, read by the pool and meditate. The second day we take the motorcycle to Tiger Kingdom about 15 minutes away in Mae Rim. Having seen signs for this place in Chiang Mai, I researched it on the internet. Lolly had mentioned a place in Kotchaburi where she had her heart set on walking a tiger on the beach, only to find they drugged the animals. I discovered that Tiger Kingdom did not use drugs, the place was clean and the tigers healthy. We chose a package of 15 minutes with 4-7 mo olds (small) and 15 min with 12-15 month olds (big). The tigers are indeed healthy and absolutely gorgeous. Just like domestic cats, we are warned they do not like you to touch their ears or front paws. Grabbing a tiger by the tail (gently) is ok. Their fur is coarse and thick. Mostly they like to sleep, so the keepers sometimes arouse them into play with short stick. The tigers liked their tummies rubbed and hugging them you can hear their heart beating soundly. The claws are trimmed but very noticeable when they stretch their paws. Their tongue is rough like a cat, but we're warned that they can and will take a nip after licking you. Primarily they like to sleep, but don't mind if you snuggle up next to them, just approach from the rear. From the Aussie volunteer we learn the facility is 1.5 years old, when the tigers are 2 to 3 years old, they are sent to a North Thailand zoo, less than 100 of this type are found in the wild and the employees love working there. This was an absolutely incredible experience I am so glad we didn't miss.
The third day of our fast and we're experiencing moments of weakness. A short motorcycle ride away is the Mae Som elephant camp. The elephants here paint some incredible artwork. Another great massage today and we're set to watch the Obama Inauguration tonight. Tomorrow we set off for Pai and the Myanmar (Burma) border.
Part IV
Our trip on the motorcycle at 6 am into town to catch our bus was a cold one despite layering our clothes. We gave many a parka clad Thai motorcyclist a laugh as we simultaneously stopped at a red light. Our bus was late, "Thailand traffic jam" we're told with a shake of the head. Packed full, we head north joined by three Thais, two couples from Missouri, a fella from Montreal, a couple from the Middle East and a couple from Europe. The route wound its way through jungle, forest and lush mountains, and wound its way, and wound its way through so many curves, we thought just maybe we were going in circles. The road to Hana in Maui has nothing on this Thai road. At the bottom of our descent into Pai, with my stomach back in place, the security checkpoint guard pulls us over. The smell of rubber permeates the vehicle and it's apparent why the stop. Our driver is pulled over and we conclude by the series of gestures that he is given a stern talking to before we are able to leave and the brakes sufficiently cooled. Pai is a wonderful little hippie town in the foothills of the Himalayas with vegetarian and organic cafes, reggae bars, tattoo parlours and hemp stores with an umistakable Thai flair. And as the tshirts hanging in the market state "Pai very cold", a few degrees above freezing at night. Being unable to reasonably and inexpensively cross into Myanmar, we instead choose to rent a motorcycle and drive through the outlying areas of Pai with farms, guest houses, rice paddies and rolling hills. Pai is a funky place we wanted to spend more time. We'll forever remember a 1970's Cougar painted boldly in Jamaican colors and the words Rasta Hill driven by a young Thai man in dreads passing the "Don't Cry" bar. After one night in a quaint guesthouse, we take the 4 hour bus ride back to Chiang Mai. One of our return passengers could not hold back and emptied his stomach more and more with each wild turn. Our ride ended at the train station where we embarked for our overnight journey to Ayuttayah, the ancient capital.
Our Thai rum and cokes with lime go down easily and the dining car becomes party central for us, an Indian woman from Boston, a woman from Denmark, and a young man from the UK. Finishing with two Thai beers, we head to our second class upper and lower berths. Comfy for a few hours, we were to arrive at 3:50am, but the train arrives at a more reasonable 5:15. A tuk tuk to our hotel and slightly hung over, we consider ourselves fortunate to check in at such an early hour. After dark, we take a private taxi tour for less than $10 for 1.5 hours to view the ruins which are lit up all over the city and a truly amazing sight at night. One of the wats provides an incredible backdrop for a movie crew shooting there.Our guide and driver Tai, takes us to the train station early in the morning for our 2 hour journey at Bangkok. We manage to communicate our need for tickets and with tickets in hand we're pointed to a crowd crossing the tracks. Following the "herd" we see the single light in the foggy distance. It's our carriage and w. e arrive in the big city with plenty of time to take the subway for my dental appointment and another great lunch at the Mali restaurant. There is even enough spare time for Keith to have a check up and cleaning for $20. A short walk and we're back on the subway and at the train station. Able to leave our bags there, the commute to and from the train station was easy and efficient. With time to kill, we choose a foot massage. The dull sound of the chaos in the terminal is left behind as we are treated to pan flute and harp music and the soothing aroma of mint. The luggage storage employee has difficulty finding our bags, so we have a bit of a rush to our number 2 train car with snacks in hand. This afternoon we hit the rails and head south through the southern Muslim province of Thailand and the border of Malaysia. A melting pot with 3 distinct cultures, Malay who are Muslim, Chinese and Indian.
Part V
This train journey is about 21 hours, so we're happy to have an aircon car. Our picture window provides a view to the countryside. When we cross the border to Malaysia, tin houses become concrete abodes, coconut treese become rubber trees, oxen replaced with old tractors and shanty towns replaced by sub divisions. Malaysia appears at first sight to be developing rapidly. Our morning stop for customs and immigration is seamless but long. Before too long we arrive into Butterworth. Without a final confirmation or an address for our anticipated homestay, we figure out a plan B. Our second plan becomes a reality when we cannot reach David Munusamy by phone. We take a taxi to Penang Island travelling over Asia's longest bridge and have a short tour of Georgetown. With the help of the driver we confirm a place for the night, which is challenging, considering it is Chinese New Year's Eve and Penang is predominantly Chinese. With Chinese businesses closed up, we walk to Little India for lunch. My birthday dinner is enjoyed at a nice Indian restaurant with award winning food. One more try to reach David by phone before coming up with Plan C. This time we reach David and it is no problem to stay with him and his family. We are told to take the ferry to Butterworth early in the morning and then take the bus about 40 minutes to Parit Buntar. The phone conversation is difficult on the public phone and very comical. It goes something like this.
Hello...hello...You come on bus to Bear it Boonter...how you spell....you know parrot...parrot...parrot boontar....you know...p like paul?....no....oh, b like boy?...no parrot boontar you know...it's easy...okay p...a...r...i...t...buntar. Everyone know Parit Buntar. OK got it...I think.
The night sky was filled with fireworks but we were able to sleep quite soundly. Early in the morning, taxi, ferry, bus and two hours later and we meet David at the bus stop. He is so very happy to see us, and so are we. He whisks us away in his little Suzuki Sidekick. David lives in a small neighborhood on the edge of a forest. Being Chinese New Year, although David is Indian, he has been invited to many parties and we are included as well as two other guests. Dorothy who is about 50, from Germany and is doing a cycling tour on her own for a planned total of about 3.5 years. She started in Russia, then Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and now Malaysia. Afterwards she will be cycling to Singapore, Indonesia and then onto Australia. Anya is 25 and from N Carolina. She has been away from the US for 3 years, living in France and then living and teaching in Taiwan and is nearing the end of her Asia journey.
With barely enough time to drop off our bags and have introductions, we are on our way to a fishing village where we enjoy a boat ride from one of David's Chinese friends. We pass several fish farms protected by some spirited canines and some Malay fisherman using nets with little success that day. Off the boat, we navigate our way around a menacingly unstable wharf board which Keith had earlier put his foot through. Being a guest at a Chinese home for New Years is a wonderful experience for us and a true honor for the hosts. Of course fresh seafood is the main dish which is cooked and served at a round table in a hot pot. Local fish, shrimp, king prawn, Asian fish"balls" and cabbage is savored by some Indian friends of Davids and his homestay group. The many bottles of beer, wine, scotch and irish whisky and cognac were evidence that a party was at hand. David reminds us that this is just the first house and to take it slow. Good advice it laters turns out, but not necessarily heeded. Keith discovers that the wave of the hand over the glass is a non verbal cue to fill up the glass at Chinese New Year. But I tend to think any gesture would mean the same thing. Indians and Chinese alike don't allow a partially empty glass. With many regrets to the first host, David whisks us away to the next party. One of the hosts owns much property has his hands in many businesses and is known in the area as "Mafia boss". We could be back at our hotel having a drink at the bar, but we were obviously meant for much more exciting events. The next party is already into full swing. Many empty bottles appear around the room and many drunken smiles. Children were playing with firecrackers, women were preparing food (more fish and vegetarian dishes) and men were eating and drinking. It is with the men that we joined the party initially and there that we met Mafia boss, a strong, fit Chinese man in his late 30's if I had to guess, with a small scar on his face and adorned with heavy gold jewellry. It was when he introduced himself, that I felt we were in the Twilight Zone, and Don Corleone was speaking with the soft brusque tone made so famous in the Godfather. Too many drinks gave me an irrepressive laugh inside. Keith and the "Don" became fast friends and Keith's "salut" became the new favorite in the boss's very limited English vocabulary. As we attempted to leave the party "early", Mafia boss challenged Keith to a drinking game which was a quarter glass of whiskey drank in one smooth gulp using no hands to manipulate the glass. It was quickly apparent that Keith was not about to win this game, which was just fine, since the whiskies and beer were not making friends with the copious amounts of food, we as good guests were expected to eat. Pictures were taken, older children were introduced especially if they knew English, and hugs were given. Everyone was sad to see us go. Our next stop was at an outdoor Chinese sauna owned by (more) friends of David's. Keith's partying for the night had come to an ugly end, but I was able to enjoy the wonderful laser and fireworks show and a small amount of food and drink. This place was beautiful with Koi ponds, palm trees and gardens.
Sleeping in, we missed the early bike ride to see Dorothy off, on her way to Singapore. With time to ourselves, we had a wonderful homecooked Indian breakfast and recuperated in the afternoon. We had a late dinner with some Indian friends at one of the very few Chinese restaurants open. David brought fresh fish in newspaper and we were treated to a wonderful whole fish. Part was deep fried with 3 sauce. Sweet, sour, spicy. It was fantastic. The rest of the fish including the head was steamed with herbs and it was also excellent. The beer was once again plentiful, but we were mindful of our intake. Unfortunately the sign for no more in the glass was the direct opposite of the Chinese non verbal cue. Learning slightly more quickly, we were careful to drink ever so slowly as the partial empty glass was bad manners in the Indian culture as well.
The next morning, after a traditional Malay breakfast of rice, peanuts, hot sauce and dried fish we head to Penang Island. Before the bridge David stopped at an Indian temple where many weddings and ceremonies are held. This day, many families had brought their 3 to 5 year old children to have their ears bored (pierced) according to the traditional custom. Families were dressed in their finest Indian traditional garb on this special day. According to custom, the small children have been coddled and the time has come for them to experience their first reality of pain as small smiles quickly turn to loud cries as the ceremony is performed. The smell of incense is strong as worship is made to the Hindu god Matangi. Earlier in the day, a sheep (David refers to it as a goat) has been sacrificed for the celebratory meal. We've been invited by one of the families to join them. In the next room we are served rice, mutton curry, an Indian salad and Indian vegetables on a banana leaf. Without utensils, we attempt to shovel the delicious meal in our mouths as adeptly as possible. With full stomachs and warm with inclusion, we leave for the bridge to pick up our tickets in Little India for our flights from KL to Phuket, drop off Anya and have a quick tour, which ends prematurely due to the heavy holiday traffic. We stop at a beautiful park with a waterfall and several monkeys which thankfully had many unique trees providing some respite from the unbearable heat of the day. Just before heading for the ferry back to Butterworth we passed several middle aged tourists in beautifully decorated tri-shaws travelling down the street. It reminded me of the travel agent fam trip I had made about 10 years ago to Hong Kong and Penang. I remembered my tri-shaw ride, and thinking how I would trade all of the tourist experiences I had during that trip for just one of the personal cultural experiences we've had the good fortune to participate in this and our past backpacking travels.
In a nearby town to Parit Buntar we are invited to homemade Indian food at David's friend. Glasses of Tiger and Guiness beers are raised to the Malay phrase "etumama" Fortunately we have learned to pace ourselves and become more insistent.
After a wonderful Indian breakfast and sad goodbyes we take our very comfy seats on the bus for our 4 hour journey to the capital Kuala Lumpur and our next homestay and couchsurfing experience with Jon and Marina.

Part VI
Jon, who is in telecommunications and originally from New Jersey and his wife Marina, who is from Russia, met while Jon was travelling in India and Marina was living there and learning yoga. They live in a very comfortable and large highrise condo on the outskirts of the city. When we arrived, Jon was in South Africa and Marina teaching Yoga and Pilates, but the security desk handed us a key and a note to make ourselves at home, a comfortable private room with bath was awaiting us and instructions to help ourselves to the cupboards and fridge. Organic food and good coffee were a pleasant surprise. Marina had also prepared some pasta and sauce and we had a quiet evening. Jon arrived the next morning and we set off for the trifecta of cultural experiences. First, we took a taxi to the amazing Batu Caves, Malaysia's largest and most spectacular Hindu shrine, located in a limestone cave formation with 276 six numbered steps to the top. Quite a feat on a hot and muggy day. We were accompanied by monkeys and Hindu pilgrims and tourists all making their way up. Preparations were underway for the yearly repentance ceremonious event called Taipusan which involves a 15k parade/procession of tranced participants gouged with large hooks and dragging a myriad of heavy religious objects. We will unfortunately miss the blood and guts of Feb 7th. Our next stop was the National Mosque and the Museum of Muslim Culture. It's a Friday (prayer day), so very busy but learning the Muslim perspective in an impressive mosque like building was fascinating and very enjoyable. We also had a wonderful Middle Eastern/Muslim lunch in the striking all white museum restaurant. In a short stroll we saw some beautiful Moorish architecture and grabbed a taxi to Brickfields. Marina told us of an Indian restaurant which served food on a donation basis, similar to One World. Hoping to see the operation and get some feedback, we were disappointed to learn that it had closed. So we headed to a large Chinese Buddhist temple Thean Hou, situated on the top of a steep hill and of course very busy due to Chinese New Year week. The taxi driver told us with a smile, that Malaysia is the country with the most holidays in the world. The temple was adorned with lanterns, red "pineapples" and cows (year of the ox). Fans were spreading the distinctive smell of burning incense. We queued up to the fortunate telling stations along with several eager Chinese, to have a short prayer, drop our sticks and learn of our future told by the single one left standing.
Jon and Marina treated us to dinner at an excellent Saudi Arabian restaurant downtown. As Ericksson is expanding into Africa, they will be moving to Ghana in just a month, and it was an opportunity for them to enjoy their favorite eatery in KL. Afterwards, we went for some mint tea in an outdoor hookah cafe and exchanged travel and food stories. They love the idea of One World Spokane and plan to visit one day, and alternately we are welcome to visit them in Ghana. Couchsurfing has shown us that the world can change, one couch at a time.
With a change of plans, a morning bus takes us to the low cost air terminal 1.5 hours outside the city and we whisk through customs and the crowds to make our flight to Phuket. Our plans to visit the Perhentian Islands on the east coast of Malaysia, were dashed when we learned it was rainy season there, and the diving and accommodation selection would be very poor. We were invited to join a fellow couch surfer for a beer and told the diving would be great, so we made Ko Phi Phi in Thailand, our island alternative and new experience for both Keith and I.
With barely sufficient time to grab a cab and get to the ferry pier, we attempt to negotiate a fare and prepurchase our ferry tickets. Once outside the terminal, Phuket reveals itself, to no surprise, as a tacky tourist destination, but unusually difficult to find a taxi. Frustrated and after being led to an unlicensed taxi, we discover transportation is controlled and we must wait patiently as the time to our ferry departure is counting down. Our concerns for time are met with replies of ok ok no problem. Once in the cab however, the driver indicates there is no time, he must drive fast and that must be worth an extra 100 baht (about $3). His knowledge of English must have included "rip-off" as he backed down from his attempted blackmail and drove just as fast as his mini van would take us. Weaving around traffic, tourists, and animals, he ventured down one way streets the wrong way while the needle pushed 140. With no minutes to spare, we ran to the ferry and just in time were on our way to Ko Phi Phi Don.
We see the islands' breathtaking beauty revealed to the world in the 1999 major motion picture The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Since then, Ko Phi Phi has been on a non stop construction binge, stopping only briefly for the devastating tsunami in December of 2006. This deadly wave, one day after Christmas, took the lives of 1500 out of the 4000 people on the island that day, tourists and locals alike. The profiles of the ferry passengers reflect an average age much below ours. This stay could be very interesting.
Part VII
After arrviing on the ferry, we make our way into the center of town. The repeated calls of "where you go" and "boat,boat" blend into a melody as we stroll. We meet up with couchsurfer and Phillipino native, Kyla. She takes us to the guesthouse that she had booked for us. The room was decent, air con worked well and the hot water was aplenty. Her recommendation for food was a local hole in the wall called Papaya. We had an early dinner there and it was fabulous. Excellent freshly prepared Thai food and huge portions with very reasonable prices. Home run! After dinner, fatigue was wearing on us so we retired to our room after a short walk around the "town". We learned, our first night, that central meant noisy with a capital N. Ko Phi Phi starts rocking about 11pm and spreads through the early morning until about 4. The earplugs we brought for the train allowed us to enjoy a somewhat uninterrupted slumber. Booked for a scuba trip the next morning we grabbed a cuppa joe and made our way to the pier. As yet uncertified, I tagged along with the divers to snorkel. I love to do this because the water has unlimited visibility and with the divers on the bottom, I share the surface with the dive boats alone, unlike those jam packed snorkel tours. Blue starfish, colorful reef fish of all sizes, sea turtles, small rays and a kaleidoscope of coral was my reward. The water was temperate but the warm rays on the deck of the boat were more inviting after almost an hour. After a tasty lunch, we moved to another spot for a second dive and for me a second round of snorkelling. This location was more shallow so I was able to swim near the bottom for a closer look.
Rather than trying to ignore our surroundings, we dive into the crazy party town that is Ko Phi Phi. At Hippie's on the beach we enjoyed a musician, fire dancers, a "bucket" of local rum, ice and lime, and a really bad Pad Thai. Our next stop, we joined up with couchsurfer and Swedish native Daniel and the other half of Kyla and Daniel. The venue was a bar that featured Thai kick boxing island style, which was all show and no authenticity which satisfies the crowd in an intoxicated state. The highlight is the seemingly insane invitation of fighters from this same intoxicated crowd. As it turns out, it's less exciting than you think to watch drunk tourists beat each other up. Equally uncomfortable is the behaviour of Daniel and a young attractive French couchsurfer. Perhaps couchsurfing has another level in this little beach community. Daniel and his companion wish to show us more of Phi Phi's "magic". We follow them to the busiest "rave" bar on the beach with several young tourists bouncing and bopping to the heart thumping techno music that assaults our ears. Visitors are celebrating a half moon party. Although this event doesn't slow the bar down as they equally celebrate every moon stage. It's apparent we don't belong in this crowd of twirling tourists high on ectasy and drunk on life, or perhaps on those evil buckets. We give polite farewells to the amorous couchsurfers after a couple of songs (using the term very loosely).
The next morning, we discover another side to the island by taking a noisy longboat to Long Beach. A pleasant white sand beach invites us to relax and read with intermittent cool splashes in the turquoise water. Isolated cabins dot the hillside and appear to be a more ideal accommodation for Ko Phi Phi. As with everything else on the island being 2 to 3 times more expensive from the rest of Thailand, however, the cost is prohibitive. In an effort to catch the sunset, we walk to the eastern side of the island past a mosque, and have a drink at the Sunflower Bar. Millie and her young daughter Tia are the Aussie proprietors of this fine establishment which is just down the beach from the "rave" bar we visited the night before. Millie and her bar survived the tsunami, and she initiated the building of the memorial park next door. She has had the bar for about 5 years and is disillusioned with the direction the tourist population seems to be taking. Lately it is not unusual for her to wake up just before dawn to move a number of intoxicated, fornicating couples off her property and out of the memorial park under the sign which has been posted to discourage such activity. After dinner, we visit a local bar with free wi-fi to catch up our story and download our pictures to Facebook.
The next afternoon we begin our journey back to Bangkok. Our joint ticket (boat-bus-train) takes us by boat to Krabi, with its very unique natural land formations. At the private bus "station" we are jam packed into a 10 passenger mini bus with 12 passengers including a luggage laden family with 2 small children and a feisty bobble head lady from France. Travelling alone with a backpack twice the size of ours, this minute sized woman of considerable age, with a strong French accent and mesmorizing head bobbing rhythm is seated next to us. With Liberace-esque flair, she reveals some of the gifts she's received while travelling alone and proceeds to tell me that I will never receive such gifts by travelling with a partner. As our van pulls away I agree and admire her tenacity while complimenting her newly acquired bounty.
Arriving at the opposite side of the country in record time, we are early for our overnight train. The elderly French woman attempts to board the wrong train, but it is unnecessary for us to intervene due to the diligence of the train employees. Our berths are pulled down and ready for sleeping when we board. We arrive into Bangkok with plenty of time to catch the subway for my last dental appointment. Boarding the subway again we head to the familiar Federal Hotel for our last night in Thailand. To celebrate, we walk to Nana for a couple of Happy Hour Chang beers. The Dutch owner greets us and we learn he has owned the bar for 3 years, is currently with his third Thai wife, and has suffered financially in the aftermath of the recent airport shutdown. Perched on the outside balcony, we enjoy a perfect spot for people watching. The street below is colorful with hawkers, food vendors, ladyboys, tourists, recent Nigerian immigrants and one young Asian elephant whose handlers are selling snack bananas to tourists in the open bars. Only in Bangkok. Just down from Nana is an area with good Middle Eastern restaurants and we choose Lebanese for our anniversary dinner.
Our early morning flight means a bleary eyed taxi ride to the airport which is initially delayed due to the exodus of nearby disco goers. An exceptional amount of security at the airport means our flight to Narita airport is delayed but we are able to catch our connecting flight only to turn back to the gate due to a mechanical failure. Although the pilot recovers some lost time, we arrive in Seattle with very little time to catch our Southwest flight to Spokane. What was a comfortable 2 hour connection time had whittled down to 50 minutes. Our saving grace was having no checked luggage and whisking through customs we arrived at our gate with a few minutes to spare. A short flight and transit bus ride and we are home with smiles and memories and jet lag.

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