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Published: March 5th 2009
Thai01
Tubing Down the river Vang Vieng Vientiane 8/10 Took the really long 21hr busride from Hanoi. The seats were small and the aisles were filled with sacks of onions, garlic, and other vegetables being transported. Many Asians have little tolerance to windy roads so there was the sounds and smell of vomit to deal with as we drove into the mountains. But we got there. The capital of Laos had the feel of a small town. Being in such a relaxed place was a nice relief from the loud craziness of Hanoi. The only ATMs in the country are in this city so I pulled out $200 worth of Kip and received 200 notes in denomitaions of 10,000 kip each.
Vang Vieng 8/11 About two hours into our ride to Vang Vieng, our "VIP" bus broke down. Escaping the heat was impossible and everyone was drenched in sweat by the time they fixed it. The next day we went tubing down the river. Along the way we stopped for the zipline, rope swing, trapeze, and cliff jumping. At one stop, someone had the brilliant idea of having a race across the river. The winner was the strong current, sending us 30 meters downstream by the time
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Zipline Vang Vieng we reached the other side. We stopped at a cool cave that we swam into. We played a type of volleyball with some locals in pouring rain. The last stop was a little bar where we got a bonfire going and hung out for a couple hours. Rented a mt. bike and rode out past some villages to an excellent cave and lagoon. The massive interior was very impressive. If there's one thing you can master in Vang Vieng, its the art of chillin.
Luang Prabang 8/16 We made the long, scenic journey to this nice town next to the Mekong River. We found a place at the market that offers as much vegetarian food as you can pile on a plate for 50 cents. At night we went out to the Hive Bar for some Beer Laos. When it closed we got a tuk-tuk to "Vietnam Bar" where the owner keeps his doors shut and probably pays off the police to keep going past the 12am business curfew. We took a tour out to some waterfalls and swam in the cold water while it rained.
Huay Xai 8/21 With no major road, getting into North Thailand involves
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River Cave Vang Vieng going up the Mekong by slow boat for 2 days or 11 hours on one of the tiny speedboats that are rumored to crash a couple times a week, though usually not fatally... So we spent two very boring days making our way north with a night in between in a tiny riverside town called Pak Beng.
Chang Mai 8/22 We crossed the river into Thailand and passed through immigration with ease. We booked a 3-day trek into the mountains near Chang Mai. The five of us and our guide started off at the village where he lives. We hiked up along the trail, stopping at some waterfalls and swimming in the river. As soon as we reached the village where we'd spend the night, our guide opened up some thai whiskey. He had his name tattooed on his arm and his story was that he used to pass out drunk and when the tourists woke him up he couldn't remember his name. All the houses in the village kept livestock tied up beneath them. The govt. had installed solar panels and a water tank in order to help modernize the village. The next day offered more unchallenging hiking
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Stopping for lunch Vang Vieng until we reached the point where we began the elephant trek. After an hour of riding these giant animals we hiked the rest of the way to the next village, this one with power lines, satellite dishes, and a few vehicles. At night our guide tried to give us some background on the village, but he had too much to drink making it hard to follow what he was talking about. We were supposed to get an early start at 7am the next morning, but our guide was nowhere to be found until he showed up on a motorbike at 9am. We finished the trek and drove back down to the river where we went bamboo rafting. This was the highlight of the trip. I had hoped to see a more authentic side of hill tribe life and spend more time hiking.
Pai 8/28 This was one of my top 3 destinations on my trip so far. It had a small town feel, up in the mountains, next to a river, good nightlife, and great people. I can see why quite a few foreigners have moved here. The first night we went out to Be-Bop and after some drinks
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After the tubing we stop off to drink around a bonfire Vang Vieng decided to go up on stage for open mic night. None of us had musical talent except for Steve who played guitar and sang while the rest of us pretended to play our instruments. Nobody seemed to notice and we got some applause. The owner even asked if I would stay on the drums. We made our way to the riverside Bamboo Bar which is completely made out of... bamboo. Spent an afternoon enjoying the swimming pool that is isolated near some rice fields. I rented a motorbike and checked out some sights around Pai. I stopped at a temple on a hill overlooking the town and countryside. I found the "grand canyon" of Pai then rode through Pam Bok village to a waterfall. The view was no good so we got in and swam to it. I had booked a 2-day rafting trip, but after getting nonstop rain for the last 12hrs, the Frech owner said the water level was too dangerous. At night we played some pool and listened to a band until the heavy rain knocked out the power. When the lights come on an hour later we checked out the popular Thai-Reggae scene at Phu Ban
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Lagoon Vang Vieng bar. It was a struggle to leave such a cool town, but I still had a few places to see before leaving Thailand.
Koh Pha Ngan 9/4 It took me 48hrs to get to KPN, 30 of them spent on a bus or boat. The bus trip from Bangkok to Surat Thani involved 3 drunk Germans that were loud and obnoxious. One puked in the aisle when everyone was asleep. Then he managed to get himself trapped in the bathroom until he woke everyone up with his loud banging on the door at 3am. Once on the island I met up with some friends and headed for the beach. The nights were spent partying at the beachside bars. Sleeping was accomplished by a couple of 3hr naps at random times. The full moon party which attracts about 9000 people to Haad Rin beach was on the 7th. It lived up to its reputation as a massive gathering of travelers partying all night to the rhythm and beats delivered by the DJs.
Ko Tao 9/8 I spent 3 nights on this beautiful island north of KPN where I traded partying for hiking and snorkeling.
Kanchanaburi 9/11 Traveled by
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Caving Vang Vieng motorbike, ferry, pickup truck, train, and then bus in order to reach this town. I took a daytrip to see some waterfalls and the historic Hellfire Pass. Avoiding Bangkok until the day of my flight, I spent my last few days just hanging out and enjoying this riverside town.
Bangkok 9/16 I had a few hours to kill in the backpacker ghetto, aka Khao San Rd. The street was packed with merchants selling overpriced goods as well as a few stressed-out travelers getting their first taste of Asia. At the airport I prepared to leave this extraordinary region of the world for a return to Western society. I'm going to miss wearing sandals and shorts, fresh coconuts, $2 rooms, fried bananas, motorbikes, Buddhism, warm weather, the beaches, the people, bamboo, and wild monkeys. Hope to be back someday.
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