http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/buttahfly/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from buttahfly en-us Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:50:17 +0000 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:50:17 +0000 Well I made it. Thirtysix hours on a plane 5 China Airlines meals and 5 movies in a row really drives the point home that I'm actually on the other side of the planet.I'm on day 2 in Bangkok. This city is insane Threewheeled motorcycle taxis tuk tuks 38 degree heat and more street meatnoodlesfishcurryunidentified gastronomic delights than you can imagine. I can't believe people don't d http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-8183.html Sawasdee KrupI've learned a few new things on this trip already. 1. What heat rash feels like2. That everyone's a scam artistWow. Three days in 38 degrees celcius in a dirty rotten polluted city is quite enough for me. I've developed this lovely and itchy heat rash I am HOPING that's what it is from being soaking wet from humidity the entire time I've been in BKK. My hair is COMPLETELY http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-8331.html HelloI'm back in steamy Bangkok after a most marvelous adventure through the mountains of Northern Thailand. Four days in the jungle passed more quickly than you can imagineLeft Chiang Mai in the early morning with only a day pack. Read one change of clothes flip flops my journal swimsuit and a sarong. Stopped at a market in the last town to buy fruit and water before heading into the jung http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-8633.html I apologize this one will be a quickie as internet time is twice the cost as it is in Bangkok... I am now in Koh Tao one of the little islands off the coast of Thailand. I do believe I've found paradise... but not without some bumps along the way. Left Bangkok a few days ago on the overnight train to Surat Thani. This time no air conditioning. Picture it a train speeding down the tracks with d http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Tao/blog-9074.html Day three of food poisoning. This is the most horrible place to feel like this. Why1. It's so gorgeous. 2. This is the place I wanted to be the most.3. I have to climb 100 stairs to get to my cottage... walking 5 steps is a major task4. It's so damn hot there is no air conditioningLast night I woke up with cold sweats. How that's possible in this heat is beyond me. Then I woke up cooking. Than http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Tao/blog-9150.html Hello So the Thai masseuse medicine man didn't heal me. But I went to this dodgy little clinic down a little dirt road yesterday. I walked in started crying out of pure exhaustion and told the nurse I had tummy troubles. And without even asking my name where I was from what I had eaten or what other meds I might be taking she quickly prescribed three things antibiotics charcoal pills to ab http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Tao/blog-9331.html Sawasdee KraaNot sure if I mentioned this before but Koh Tao means Turtle Island. It is named this for its shape. But if you look at a map it in no way resembles a turtle... ...and just yesterday I was lucky enough to get to swim with a turtle Yes I'm finally over my island illness thanks to everyone for the advice and I was able to go SCUBA diving. How could I not when it is one of the p http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Tao/blog-9558.html HeyJust on my way out of Thailand and have a free moments to dump some pics.... Enjoy http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Tao/blog-9631.html Good Morning I am in Siem Reap Cambodia. For those who don't know this is home to the incredible temples of Angkor. I'm told they're the largest and most impressive religious structures in the world. I'm on my way to see them today. I've hired a driver to take me So I hop on a little regional jet yesterday in Bangkok and took the 55 minute flight to Siem Reap. My other option was to take a 1 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-9669.html Sua s'daiThat's hello in Khmer I learned that from a 22 year old Buddhist Monk at Angkor Wat today.Siem Reap is simply amazing... I can't even begin to express what it's like to be here. The 11th century temples of Angkor and the complex history of the Khmer Empire is one thing but the feeling I get from the people here is undescribable.I'm not sure if that comes from being a small town in t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-9747.html I hear the sun is shining at home FINALLY Just so you know for the past month I've been getting enough for allllllllll of you. My feet are so brown I thought it was dirt. Okay so it's partially dirt. Or mostly. But whatever. They're brown. I'm now in the capital city of Cambodia Phnom Penh... a stark contrast from the town of Siem Reap. Took the 6 hour bus ride through the countryside today http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-9837.html For those who keep asking... Each one took 5 minutes to upload or longer so there are only a few. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-9967.html Sitting in Hoi An just about to do my last fitting for yet another tailor made item. This UNESCO world heritage town is best known for its gorgeous french architecture reminds me of southern France and its 200 plus tailor shops. These tailors can recreate ANYTHING you point out in a designer catalogue....for a fraction of the price... and in about 3 hours. I heard about all of this but didn' http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/South-Central-Coast/Nha-Trang/blog-10425.html I have just had the best few days of my trip thus far.Am convinced that the only way to see this country is from the back of a motorbike. A real motorbike.Last time I wrote I was about to leave Hoi An with a backpack full of new digs. I ditched my tourist bus ticket and Dale and Katherine the Aussie couple picked me up from my hotel. They hired a couple local fellows to drive us up the coast to http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/North-Central-Coast/Hue/blog-11171.html Yes here I am in Ho Chi Min City where coned hats french pastries and mystery meat on the street prevail. I like it better than PP already Staying in a 2.50 USD guest house. I'm sharing with my new friend Helen from England who is in her 8th month of travel. She's going for a whole year. At our hotel we get free breakfast too your choice of tea or coffee and baked. Took me awhile to fi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-10124.html In Hanoi... ditched my crappy bus pass and took the overnight train from Hue to Hanoi with my aussie friends and a belgium couple. I can't remember their names so I refer to them as Hanz and Franz even though I know that's German...and I don't do it in their company of course. Anyway train was lovely. Paid more for the one trip than my entire idiotic tourist bus pass but it was worth it. I g http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Red-River-Delta/Hanoi/blog-11358.html Just got back from an absolutely breathtaking few days on Halong Bay. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it's just like the pictures promise... Thousands and thousands of limestone islands that jut straight up into the air. Apparently they're very similar to those on the Adaman coast of Thailand. The call it 'where the dragon meets the sea.'Left Hanoi early Tuesday morning to go to Halong City http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Red-River-Delta/Halong-Bay/blog-11503.html Sabaidee And Happy Canada DayI've been in the country for just one week... and by golly it's true. The living IS easy in LaosI feel like I've gone from a zillion miles an hour to a snail's pace. There are no obnoxious honking horns. No kamikaze motorbikes aiming for me and no street hawkers trying to sell me anything I don't need. There aren't enough 'ills' in chill to describe this place. I http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vientiane/blog-12352.html Luang Prabang has stolen my heart. It has to be my favorite place of all so far. Everything just seems to fit. The people the surroundings the atmosphere the attitude.It's a UNESCO World Heritage site nestled in the mountains next to the Mekong River. I can't describe how beautiful it is here... just picture Lunenburg those same sort of heritage homes except next to a chocolate milk col http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-12605.html Happy Happy SummerWhile all you ConnorsBRCCextended family folk were partying in Hackett's Cove this Saturday I was on a midnight train bound for Malaysia. And don't think I wasn't thinking of youSince I last wrote from Bangkok just after leaving the lovely lovely Laos I've continued on my journey...south. Wayyyy southBack in May seems like a lifetime ago I visited 2 of the 3 islands l http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Terengganu/Perhentian-Kecil/blog-13943.html