Before heading back down south to just outside Bangkok we spent a couple of hours riding on elephants and rafting down a river on a bamboo raft. Apparently, the same location in which they shot some scenes for Ramboo 4. Back onto another sleeper train for a all night trip south! Starting to like these night trains, feels like a big sleep over! Nothing like arriving at our next stop (sorry don't have the name in front of me) at 5am! Funny thing was I thought we would be the only one's walking around but there was quite a bit of activity taking place including a market filled with people. After dropping off our luggage is a few shared rooms we got cleaned up, ate breakfast and prepared for a day of biking around the town. ... read more

And so it begins....the GAP tour......Hike, Bike and Kayak through parts of Thailand with 14 other crazies from around the world. Where to start? With our more then capable local guide Neung we have been quite busy, which included exploring Khao San Market in Bangkok, a mountain bike trip through the windy alleyways and streets of old Bangkok, and just returned from 3 days trekking through the land of the hill tribes north of Chiang Mai. Now in Chiang Mai for a few more hours waiting for laundry to be folded, mini tours to end and me to wake up then off we go again on another overnight train back south near Bangkok for our next adventure.. Not sure how to explain Bangkok, of what I have seen it has all the modern conveniences of a ... read more

The night before Ko Tao was an indicator of what the morning would be like, rain, rain, and more rain. While waiting in the hotel lobby for the mini-bus a group of us got to watch a "lady of the night" or that is what I took from what I saw. Her companion the night before had apparently stiffed the hotel, but not before cleaning out the stocked bar fridge. She was left "holding the bag"......night security, Chewang Police, hotel staff and 6 curious lookers, got to watch it all unfold. Too bad my minibus arrived. I had $20baht riding on her running from the police through the streets of Chewang. I love any type of boat ride so a high speed ferry to Ko Tao, via a stop off in Ko Phangan had me all ... read more

Amazing how much one can do in a day....then again the day seems to be a combination of many days all rolled into one.... Happy to report my backpack has arrived (granted it went to my old hotel, which as luck would have it I had just arrived at to check and 30 sec. later a truck pulls up with my clean clothes! Sad to report I have packed way too much and am going to have to make some tough decisions....what articles will no longer continue on my travels. Now for the exciting part... i am still alive! (sorry Mom you may want to stop reading this section) I took the scooter out for a little spin. Actually I went on a road trip to south parts of Phuket to check out other beaches and ... read more

change of plans.....still in phuket waiting for my backpack to arrive. apparently my emails have not been getting through so they have my bag sitting in singapore waiting for further instruction....to be continued. so RBC Insurance says they will cover me on essentials until my bag arrives....i just need to produce receipts when i get back....can anyone else see the problem here? Two fold.....i am into day 2-3 of a 45 day trip and I have to keep receipts???? secondly, how does one get receipts from street vendors hawking clothes? they only place that appears to be established and may be capably of printing out a receipt is one of the many tailors that promise to make me a nice two piece suit for cheap cheap.....not exactly something i want to wear with a backpack....oh the ... read more