Emmy Rose
Emily Joined: January 7th 2007
Logged in: August 17th 2008
Logged in: August 17th 2008
So this is the scoop... I'm off on an adventure to SEA - to lie on the beach, learn the art of Thai massage, trek in the jungle and swim in the ocean. Wow, 3 months of pure chil-laxing! And to top it off, my friend Lindsay and I are travelling the world together (or at least for part of it)!
I hope to keep in touch with friends and familiy while I'm away using this blog. Enjoy the stories and the photos - I'll try to keep them coming as often as I can. And of course, feel free to leave fabulous comments. I'd love to hear from you!
Travel Blog Posts
Crossing the Thai Border
My journey into Laos was definitely an experience! Duncan and I crossed the border into Laos by taking a small long tail boat across the Mekong. We stocked up on supplies (water, beer, sweets and of course a comfy pillow to sit on!) and boarded our Slow Boat that would take 2 days to arrive in Luang Prabang. Word of advise - definitely spend the money on the pillow. Sitting on a hard wooden seat is only comfortable for the first 15 minutes! The boat is super relaxing - a great way to chill out and meet other travellers. Definitely recommend it. We spent 3 days in Luang Prabang, spending too much money at the Night market, swimming in the Kuang Si Waterfall and partying in a bowling alley. Apparently there is a curfew in ... read more
Making Curry Paste
I arrived in Chiang Mai and was delightfully greeted by a Thai family that was kind enough to take me in for about 10 days. Nice to get off the backpacker circuit and learn a true lesson in Thai culture! Sunday morning, I was ready for my first shot at Thai cooking. I booked a course through Ban Tahi Cookery School and they were fabulous! Dressed in a cute little apron and a matching headscarf, I made 5 different authentic Thai dishes (including my favourite curry!) Bonus, I got to eat them all too! I also tried my hand at vegetable carving - the art of creating beautiful flowers and leaves out of the simplest vegetables. I was really impressed with the sight of my plate. That evening, my host grandmother gave me a private ... read more
Muay Thai Boxing Match
Linds and I arrived in Bangkok early in the morning after a long day of travelling. We took a night train from Surat Thani, which was super comfortable. I would completely recommend it! We boarded the train at 10pm, our beds were ready and I was soon sound asleep to the rhythm of the train. Woke up quite refreshed actually. Linds and I walked along the sticky Bangkok streets, eating cheap Thai food and freshly squeezed orange juice - yum! We spent much of the day around Khao San Road - the famous backpackers haven - spending way too many Baht in the market stalls. Everything is so cheap - its hard to resist... But my bag is getting quite full and quite heavy. That evening, we hopped a tuk-tuk to Lumpinee Stadium to see ... read more
Smile Bungalows
Our stay on Ko Pha Ngan has been absolutely glorious...maybe thats why we've stayed almost 2 weeks. There isn't too much adventure to talk about as my time has consisted of lying on the beach, swimming in the ocean, drinking banana shakes, and making a decent attempt at a tan. Seriously, heaven! Linds and I arrived on Bottle Beach after taking the night ferry, a taxi and then a long tail boat. Bottle Beach is a very secluded part of the island with white sand, swaying palm trees, and high mountains on either side. It is only accessible by boat. There are 4 sets of bungalows only. We stayed in a cute little bungalow overlooking the sea. About 6 days later we moved to Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach just for a bit of a ... read more
Long Tail Boats on Koh Phi Phi
Arrival into Thailand on Valentine's Day...another long day taking about 10 hours to complete a 5 hour journey. At least, I'm still laughing. We left Malaysia via ferry into Satun, Thailand. Upon arrival at the pier, we were bombarded with tour operators vying for our attention and our Baht to take us to our destination. Its quite a funny scam to engage in, as all the guys who want to sell tickets work for the same agency and EVERYONE ends up on the same bus. Into Krabi by bus, we then took a Songthaew into town. This was my first experience with a Songthaew, the taxis of Thailand. Pickup trucks with benches in the back and covered by a roof. Backpacks are thrown on the roof (but not tied down) and people cram onto the benches ... read more
Do we look the part?
Lindsay and I left the Cameron Highlands on route to the island of Penang - this time we SPLURGED on a VIP bus. Yeah, for an extra 3RM ($1 CAD) the VIP bus was a definite worthwhile investment. Completely recommended ~ express transit, no highway stops, comfy seats that recline, adjustable air con. Nice work. We arrived on Penang (via the Penang bridge, in case you're wondering how the bus traversed the sea) by mid-afternoon. Disclaimer: the next paragraph explains one girls account of her experience on Penang - in the city of Georgetown and the beach/resort town of Batu Ferringhi. I will limit my complaining to only one paragraph...somehow I don't think I'll be getting much sympathy from those suffering in the cold. In hindsight, I would skip Penang all together. Skip the dirty, congested ... read more
BOH Tea Estate
The Cameron Highlands - high in the mountains covered in lushous jungle green. THIS is my new paradise! We left Pulau Pangkor and enjoyed another non-express bus adventure. Riding with the locals on a bus that appeared to be falling apart, people jumping on and off everywhere and anywhere along the highway, and of course, a lovely stop at a road stop cafe to use the toilet. Let me take this opportunity to tell you about the toilets in Asia - there are 2 kinds. First, the "western imitation" which includes a a normal porcelian bowl (cleaned very UNregularly) minus the comfy restful seat. This is an extreme exercise for your legs as you hover. Most adventures are BYOTP (Bring your own TP). Afterwards, the look of "whew, I survived" crosses your face, you RINSE your ... read more
Nipa Nipa
Monday, January 29 was the bus ride from hell, but it all had a Happy Ending! I left Melaka early in the morning, prepared for a 5 hour bus ride to the city of Lumut, where I planned to take a ferry across to Pulau Pangkor. Easy enough - by 2 or 3pm I'd be lying on the beach! Well, somehow I ended up on a bus that made a million stops along the way. Four hours later - we arrived in KL (less than half way there)!!!! The bus filled to capacity, and I, the only white person on the bus, was stuck sitting beside this creepy Malay guy that stared at me for about 5 hours. I completely realize that I am a minority here (white, female, alone) but this was too much. Time ... read more
Porta de Santiago
We left Singapore and took the EXPRESS bus bound for Melaka, Malaysia. Apparently it's only a 3 hour journey... But again, it turned out to be another long travel day. We showed up to catch the "hourly" bus...only to find that "hourly" in Singapore doesn't mean "every hour". It actually means "when we choose to leave". So we chilled out for a few hours, dodging another massive rainstorm and then boarded the bus. Oddly enough, it took 5 hours to get to Melaka - maybe it has something to to with the bus randomly stopping on the side of the highway to let passengers jump on and off. We found a guesthouse called Sunny's Inn Guesthouse. It was Lindsay's first "true" hostel experience in Asia. The place was alright with friendly, helpful staff - but the ... read more
We made it!
11:30pm January 23, we hopped on the plane for the LONG journey around the world. After 21 hours, 3 meals, 2 vain attempts at a comfortable sleep and a brief stop in Taipei, Taiwan, we FINALLY landed at our destination - Singapore. After 36 hours of travel, let me tell you, we looked BEAUTIFUL and FRESH!!! Our first "day" in Singapore, we braved public transport with our backpacks and managed our way to our hostel, A Traveller's Reststop. Ha, it only took us 2 hours. Quite a cute little guesthouse with VERY friendly staff. A nap was definitely in order...well, a "nap" turned into the next morning. Oops, I guess jet lag hit us pretty hard. We woke up to Rain, Rain and more Rain. We certainly didn't let that stop us! Umbrellas in hand, we ... read more
