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March 20, 21, 22, 2015
We are on the last leg of the 12 day journey with the group. We headed off today, back to Krabi where we will spend our final 3 days with the group, then I will head to Kathmandu, Nepal. We traveled there by van and once we arrived we did some tourist shopping in the town by the shore. There are so many stores and the deals are very inexpensive. I got really cute clothes for $4-$6 each. Just remember in Krabi you can bargain with them and usually get them down to half price. When we got on board the boats the tide was way out because it was later in the day. That means walking out to the boat carrying your luggage and getting onboard. We traveled about 30 minutes to one of the islands and then again had to walk a distance to the shore only this time it was over dead coral reef. Not something you want to do barefoot! As we walked up the path to our motel the first thing we see are monkeys lined up the street on telephone pole wire. The poles are not very tall and
Sabi Sabi
a favorite hang out on the island at Tonsai beachthe wires hang very low sometimes touching the ground. It was very cool to see but we all felt a little skittish because Meghan had just shared with us a monkey story where she was attached and had to go to the hospital for shots in her stomach. We checked into our rooms and found that there is no electricity there until 6 pm and that means no fan or internet. So we showered to cool off then set out to explore. The island we went to is known for rock climbing as well as being a hippie village. If someone has dreadlocks, bare feet, and a joint of pot in their hand they are probably on this island! The penalties in Thailand for drugs is death but on this island there are no police. Of course the corruption in Thailand amongst the police is unheard of! Prostitution is illegal but they have the highest rate of prostitution. As long as the club owners pay off the police , all is well. The drugs are abundant I am told, but thus far I have only witnessed a lot of pot being smoked in one of the cafes here. It is
called Sabi Sabi which translates into take it easy. We met a couple of Americans that were at the bar, and anytime you find someone that speaks English you talk for a bit. There are too many people that don't speak English making those that do seem special! I met a young man named Dan who was from California too. He got to the island and has not left yet. He has been here over a month. We all sat and chatted with him then went to the fire show at a different bar. The bars are all outside with just a roof basically. They mostly have open walls and all have sand on the floors from the beach. The popular thing here is a tightrope close to the ground and everybody tries to walk the tightrope. Some of these kids are really good at it! There is also a lot of hula-hoops which are practiced to do shows with ones on fire. There is a calmn and comfortable feeling on the island, as if nobody is judging you, everyone is friendly the ambiance is great with fires lit on small posts along the walk and candles on the tables.
It is mostly because the electric is very expensive but it sure makes for a great atmosphere. We went back to the room around 11 and went to bed. I laid there for a while thinking about some of the things I have learned since I have been here, about Thailand.
THINGS I LEARNED:
-They are not critical thinkers. The proof of this is everywhere. They just lack common sense! They study the facts and think the way to travel between a and b is only a straight line. They don't imagine a back way, a snake like route or any other possible letters like c or d. If it isn't a straight line it can't be done. A great example of the common sense is at the National Park on Surin Island. They had snacks for sale at the kitchen counter. A guest would have to look there for what they want then walk to the other counter that checks out tents, to get a ticket for their cash. Then return to the other counter to buy the item with that ticket. If you order something in a restaurant and the order arrives wrong, you don't send
it back. There is no such thing as a refund, or a curtsy , or correcting food that was prepared wrong. You just suck it up and deal with it. Thai people don't complain, they just accept. When we left Serin island (where the Moken are) we had to wait 2 1/2 hours for our boat that was very late. The excuse when he finally got there, was there was a filmmaker onboard that was filming a commercial and that's where they were. I wanted to complain to the manager of the rental place for the boats but she was onboard with the filmmakers! So, on the way back Nichole asked me if I would mind complaining when we returned. She knew I am outspoken and she said they would have more respect for what I say because I am older than them. She also said because the situation was unaaceptable and that they would have repercussions if they complain and they have to come back with the future groups. . It takes a paying customer to complain sometimes. I did complain when we reached the office. The guy just looked at me and laughed and walked away. Nichole went
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climbers on the rocks, have to look close over to him and said you can't treat a customer that way! He said I was the only one complaining and she told him, no I was the only one brave enough to speak up about it. I am not sure it helped but at least the girls knew I was down for whatever they need.
-Another thing worth mentioning for anyone going to Cambodia, which is just the next country over...They decided to change the driving lanes from British style to American style and not all of the road signs have been removed, corrected, or replaced! It makes for seriously dangerous conditions if you plan on driving there.
-Everyone has a television, even the Mokens I believe, and there are only 3 or 4 channels. All in Thai with the corniest , and worst acting you have seen. There is always a pretty girl that falls down and a handsome man that reuses her and they instantly fall in love! All the commercials, the sitcoms, the soap operas, etc...
-Rarely will you find a hotel with hairdryers, it is ytoo hot to blow dry your hair
-It is so hot it is pointless to put
on makeup! It will melt or streak with your sweat if you try!
-The money here is Baht and equals around $3 for every 100 bought. The paper currency is 20 then 100 then 500 and then 1000. Everything in-between is coins.
-The Kings picture is on the paper currency and so if you drop a bill on the floor everyone will dive for it. Not to steal it but to keep the picture of the King from hitting the ground.
-They have no fear of lawsuits! The planks on the peer are missing bolts and even planks! There are so many dangerous things around! Power lines that touch the ground, huge holes in the roads, stairs with no rails, skinny paths where falling is critical, narrow walking over deep water, etc...This is an American lawsuit lawyers dream! They just say...My pen rye. (not spelled like that, just written for pronouncing to us) means no worries, no big deal!
-If you dare to buy drugs or weed from a Thai person, chances are they will take your money and give you the purchase, then tell the cops and collect reward money from them!
-There are
cops or border patrol with rifles set up on some streets and so far we have gone through 3 or 4 checkpoints like that. They don't even speak to us and just wave us by. They are looking for people from Burma. There has always been conflict with the Burmese and even when this was Siam there was conflict between the 2 countries.
-Every house, business, apartment building, has a spirit house near by and they all have offerings from whoever lives or works there. Usually some type of food.
-Everywhere you go you have to take your shoes off to go inside! Usually you can't go in if you are barefoot but you can't enter the corner store unless your barefoot
-They never serve ice in the water unless you ask and then it is hard to come by. Oddly the beer is always cold but the water and sodas are not.
-Thai people are very humble and thy will laugh when they don't understand you or just nod their head in agreement. They laugh easily when uncomfortable.
-If you try to speak their language they appreciate it so much! They would never criticize
your pronunciation! They also like it when you y them. That is the typical greeting between to people where you put your palms together in front of your, chest high and bow your head. If they are an elder or someone that you want to show great respect you bring your hands up to your forehead. There is a hierarchy of age here with the elders being the most important and most respected.
-Every town has a morning and evening market which is where you go to buy your food and clothes etc... There are vendors for usually one item or one type of item.
-Everyone uses mopeds for transportation and one family will have only one moped. Not uncommon to see 5 people piled on to one.
-Orchid is a flower of abundance here. Found up high in the trees and deep in the jungle most of the time but sometimes it will be found growing close to the ground. If you are caught taking one that has been close to the ground, out of the country, the fine is very expensive. If you are caught taking one that was high in the trees the fine
is not as much, almost as if saying you worked hard to get it so you deserve it more.
-Thai people believe the food is fresher if the head is still one it, thus heads on shrimp and fish and even roasted pig or duck.
-another thing is they are blunt about things very often and they say things we would mistake as rude. An example is a lady at the street market knew Nichole and had not seen her for a while. She said hi to her and then said you look fat! Although Nichole is anything except fat, she defended it by saying the Thai people think of fat as wealthy and healthy and it is a compliment to say someone is fat! Who would have thought?
On the second day on the island we took a boat out to a cliff that was hanging above the water. The idea is to climb as high as you can then fall or jump into the water. While we were doing this our boat skipper took out a smaller boat and went fishing for squid. He has invited us all for dinner !
He took us from island to island, stopping at the best snorkeling places and feeding the fish so they would come for us to see. There are many islands there all known for different things. He took us to one island that has a huge cave in the rocks and when you enter the cave it is a spirit house with hand carved penises made of wood and varying in sizes from small to huge. Apparently, the sailors had named the cave after the womb of the woman and the penises were offerings to the womb. They felt that the sea would provide more safety if the womb stayed fertile. This beach was on the opposite side of where we stay so we walked through Riley beach and back to Tonsai where we stay.
When we returned from the cliffs we wondered around to the other side of the island which is known as Raley. This is a popular tourist spot for rich people and there are fine hotels and restraints there with expensive shops. Such a contrast to the side we are occupying. I ordered a hamburger there but did not believe it was beef and did not
finish it. It was some meat I had never tasted and just hope it was not dog.
On the last day of being on the island 2 of the girls from our group hired a guild to take them on a serious climb. I went with the other 3 girls to find the lagoon. I went to Sabi Sabi to ask directions and that is when I met another American.
A young man named Ben, who kept staring at me and finally walked over to talk to me. We chatted for about a half hour and I was asking him how to get to the lagoon. The lagoon is a beautiful hidden paradise on the island but tricky to get to. It involves a lot of climbing and ropes. I was not sure I could do it but I was sure that I was going to try. Ben asked if I was attending the bonfire at the beach that night and I told him I was not aware of it. He said there would be fire dancers and a lot of people and it started at 11pm. I told him I would try but ended up so exhausted
that I missed it. Later I found a note stuck in my travel diary that said to please go to the event and that he liked me! I am 56 and he was 24! Wow! I guess I still have it! Thank you Ben, that made my day!
Had breakfast consisting of pancakes, with fresh fruit and yogurt with cashews on top.
So it was off to the lagoon we went. We arrived at the entrance to the climb that was ahead of us and that is where we lost Livia. She said forget it, just looking at the first part! I scrambled up the hill behind Meghan but it was steep and there ware a lot of people coming back the opposite way, slowing things down. Soon I lost Meghan. But I trudged along anyway. No real climbing experience and sandals on my feet with a cover dress over my bathing suit, it was not long before I was soaked from sweat from head to toe! It was so hot and humid that when you first get out of the shower and dry off you are already sweaty before you get dressed! Add exercise and FORGET it!
It was up one side and down another into the rainforest and into places so steep that if I fell and got hurt it would be very difficult to get me out. I was getting very tired and although I think I could have made it the entire way, I was not sure I could make it back out. I was exhausted. I got to a view point and took pictures then turned around and went back.
Got to the room and showered and laid down and was fast asleep .
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