Bangkok, Thailand 11/30/06

Bangkok, Thailand 30/11/06
This will be a quick entry because I have to get to the airport and even though I have over four hours before I fly out I have learned to respect Bangkok traffic. I have two things though that I want to get down into this little memory reminder book. The first is a hilarious bit of irony.

Earlier in the month, when I passed through Bangkok the first time, I changed a flight and shaved off two days of island hopping in Southern Thailand so I could get back to Bangkok and get a visa for China. I knew I had to visit the Chinese Embassy to get it. I knew it would take roughly three days for them to process the paperwork at the normal rate and that I needed to fill out one form in duplicate.

I also knew the address of the Embassy and where it was located in relation to where I was staying. I even knew what subway stop I needed to get off at to avoid that dreaded traffic. So with two passport photos, that I also knew were required, I arrived in Bangkok and I confidently went directly to the Embassy. Unfortunately though I had forgotten about an essential bit of recon; when is the office open?!

I arrived at the office at 4 p.m. in time to find it closed by minutes. “Oh,” I said to the security doorman, “What time does it open in the morning?” He looked at me like I was joking. “It no open tomorrow. No open on weekends.”

My brain spun around in my head. The words I had written from my recent proud entry on days of the week were audible in my head.

“It’s Friday.” I said more like a sad statement rather than a question.

It didn’t matter. The guard still answered me. “Yes, it is Friday.”

I can’t read minds but I’m sure the thought he had after the statement was something like “…you stupid backpacking island bum. Welcome back to the real world!” OK, maybe those were my thoughts.

My next thought was, “Way to go Mat! You planned three days, two nights, in Bangkok in order to get your visa and arrived on a Friday afternoon! That would mean that your flight out for Cambodia leaves on Sunday night! That’s before the embassy will be open again. That’s great planning!”

I had to go back to the ticket counter at Bangkok Air and change more flights. That meant one less day in Cambodia, a late night arrival, which always makes things more interesting, back into Bangkok before heading to China, and an extra 1,600 Baht for a rushed visa.

As usual I tried to find the positive in this circumstance which leads me to the second thing I wanted to get documented. In these extra days here I have finally found my soft spot for Bangkok. Well actually one spot in particular won me over but it was good enough to cover up for all the things I disliked about Bangkok.

On my second visit, or I guess I should say on my weekend in Bangkok, I stayed in a guesthouse near Siam Square. The Backpackers of the Banglamphu area, and all the businesses that cater to them, were gone and were replaced with good old fashioned U.S. commercialism. Siam Square isn’t really a Square. It’s just one big shopping mall, or malls, reaching blocks and blocks in multiple directions. Each building at least 6 stories high and connected to each other by bridges. So basically I traded crowds of Backpackers for crowds of Thai teenagers.

I had to search to find a decent restaurant that wasn’t a name I knew. Hard Rock, Outback, Sizzler, Pizza Hut, Au Bon Pain, etc. were everywhere. I finally had to settle for some over priced sushi at what was probably a Japanese chain restaurant. I will admit to hitting a really big and nice Starbucks though. Hey, it was the only thing open before 10 a.m. and I got a big comfy chair right by the window! I had to stop!

To make matters worse all the stores and malls were gearing up for Christmas. Ahh, come on! You’re a Buddhist country! I will give them credit though, whether they knew it or not, for waiting until after Thanksgiving to put up their decorations. Even Starbucks wasn’t the haven I thought it would be. Once I heard the dance remix of Silent Night I knew it was time for a run, which finally brings me to the part of Bangkok I love, Lumphini Park.

I had read a little paragraph on Lumphini Park in my Rough Guide book and could see a corner of it on the area map I had for Siam Square. The book said it’s where the Thai go to get away from the crowded craziness of Bangkok; a simple enough description that sums up most parks.

To me, any park is usually worth checking out and a good destination for a run. On my first run there I was staying about 3 miles away and ready for a water when I finally crossed the busy street to enter the park.. I was happy to find a little lady selling drinks from a Styrofoam cooler next to the gate. I don’t know which was more refreshing, the cold water or what I saw inside the park.

It’s a big park, not Central Park size but probably a circumference of 3 to 4 kilometers. There are ponds, bridges, old trees, gazebos and pagodas. You can rent swan boats from a dock or you can run around the distance marked roadway. In all, it is a beautifully designed park but that’s not why I love Bangkok now.

You can tell a lot about a town by their parks but more specifically by how they use their parks. I have seen towns with huge, beautiful, open public spaces that no one uses. That’s not what I found in Bangkok.

On my first late afternoon run there I found giant aerobics classes; several classes in fact, apparently some for different ages or levels. There were yoga and tai chi classes off under the trees. There were hundreds of walkers and joggers, young and old. There were pull up bars and stretching areas all with people using them. I took special note of the two outdoor weight training areas. I was the only Western face I saw. No one tried to sell me anything but many people smiled and waved. I had made it to the local’s place!

I ended up visiting the park about 4 times over my remaining visits to Bangkok. I even got a few workouts in at the weight training areas. They charge twenty Baht for the day to use them and I would have probably paid 1,000 Baht just for the experience.

The funniest memory I have of my time in the park was on my last run there. I was zoning out in a steady jog with my iPod on when I noticed everyone else was standing still. Everyone; the joggers, the yoga classes the guys in the weight training area. All were standing and facing the same direction. I thought I was in a Twilight Zone episode and someone had frozen time.

Then I pushed pause on my tunes and realized the National Anthem was being played on the park PA system. “Doh!” I stopped immediately. “How long had it been playing before I noticed? How many people had I passed?” A few people were looking at me and I tried to make a face that said “I’m sorry!!” I think it worked because a few started to smile and I thought for probably the hundredth time “God, I really love this park!”
MJF

Siem Reap, Cambodia 11/28/06

Siem Reap, Cambodia 28/11/06
Angkor Temples

It’s a partly cloudy day, which almost makes the heat and humidity bearable. For a second I almost forgot how much I am sweating. I’m even taking it slow. Normally I would be running up the steps of all these temples and climbing on any section that didn’t have a “Do Not Climb” sign posted but it’s just to hot for that.

I have been here for 3 days and this is my third day exploring temples in the Ankor Park. My German friend, Manuel, arrived here a day before I did so he had already made housing arrangements and lined us up a tuk-tuk driver to take us around the many temples. So when I got off the plane I met my driver, Nat, waiting with my name on a sheet of paper. It was a short ride to the guesthouse, threw my pack in the room, and less than an hour later I was on top of the ruins at Phnom Bakheng watching the sunset with probably a thousand other tourists.

Yesterday was the full day. Seven hours of climbing ancient stones and marveling over each carving. You explore one for as long as you like then back to Nat and the tuk tuk and it’s off to another. Well it’s not really a tuk-tuk but that’s what they call it. It’s just a motorcycle/scooter with a two wheeled chariot seat attached to the back by a post factory installed trailer hitch. It’s actually quite a bit nicer than the tuk-tuks I have been riding around Bangkok.

Yesterday afternoon we finally hit the big one, Angkor Wat. It was beautiful and larger than life. Walking up to it, along the long stone bridge, through the main gate, which is impressive by itself, you can’t stop staring at the picturesque domes of Angkor Wat framed in the middle of the horizon. The whole complex was designed in balance from every angle with architectural highlights in just the right spots. They designed a perfect photographic monument thousands of years before a camera could take advantage of it.

Of course since then the cameras have been making up for lost time. Now there are thousands of them attached to a tourist each. Some even doubled up. Today doesn’t seem as bad. Manuel left this morning so maybe most of the other tourists have moved on too. I love meeting new people but given the option I will almost always choose to be off of the standard schedule and route.

It’s a cool feeling to be alone walking through thick woods, sweat dripping from your face, the high pitch siren of cicadas overwhelming your senses, as you approach the dark, crumbling, ruins of an ancient temple. I felt like Indiana Jones in a baseball cap.

Each one is different. There are large buildings and tunnels while others are like a Pyramid. Some are just wide-open plazas. Others are fighting a long war with the encroaching jungle and it looks like they have been losing for hundreds of years. These were actually my favorites, specifically Ta Phrom.

I love a good tree. I have always thought they were natural works of art. More impressive than anything that a human hand could create. The trees at Ta Phrom only reinforced this thought as I discovered a huge tree wrapping and devouring walls and stones in every direction.

After three days of exploring ruin after ruin I am reminded of a saying I heard often in Thailand, “Same, same, but different”. (Actually I saw it more than I heard it as it’s plastered on a thousand different t-shirts, and hats, ironic I know.) In Angkor, after awhile you don’t even know what to take pictures of. Every angle is a great shot but probably a shot you have already taken a hundred times.

My time has not all been spent doing ancient cultural exploration. You can’t live in the past, right? I have had a great time hanging out in Siem Reap too. Cambodia uses U.S. currency. They have their own but like in other very poor countries it’s more desirable to get the more stable Dollar. In Thailand things are cheap but I was constantly converting things back to Dollars when I first arrived. After about a week you just get used to the Baht and roughly know what’s cheap and what’s really cheap.

Here in Cambodia, with no mental conversion to do, it is almost painfully obvious how cheap things are. When a pint of cold beer costs 50 Cents I feel bad just ordering a single one, lucky for the people around me. Our room is a whopping $12 per night. It has a kicking AC unit, two big comfy beds, hot water shower, a fridge, and a TV with HBO and Cinemax! It’s a good thing I was able to split that $12 with Manuel for two of the nights so I could afford such luxuries.

In all seriousness these things make me feel more sad than lucky. I don’t feel like I’m getting a deal I feel like I’m ripping them off. As a result I’ve been throwing around Dollar bill tips like I was a gangster in Atlantic City.

My Republican friends shouldn’t worry. I know it’s still business and no matter how little they charge me there is still a profit margin. This morning I haggled for a late check out, so I cold shower after a day at the temples. I negotiated down to $3 from $6….and then tipped him a $1.

There is a great line in the Backpacker cult classic novel, “The Beach” that sums up the same conflict that I have. “I get confused between feeling that I shouldn’t haggle with poverty and hating getting ripped off.” For me, there’s a friendly war going on inside my head and I don’t know who is winning.

On my first night in town Manuel and I wandered the very dark and confusing blocks into the heart of town for dinner and drinks. As we turned the last corner, finally arriving at the small center of bars and restaurants, we immediately ran into an English girl that Manuel knew from Bangkok a month earlier. East Asia is getting to be a real small place.

Her name was Kay and she and her friend Carrie, joined us for dinner. Dinner evolved into beers, which digressed into buckets, and then imploded at kareoke at 2 a.m. It’s weird traveling with people that don’t know you, people that don’t know what you are capable of. I know a lot of music but even by U.S. standards I would say I am just above average on music recollection. I have many friends that are much better than me. But to 3 foreigners, at least 7 years younger than me, after a few drinks in a Cambodian Kareoke room; I looked like a lyrical savant.

At this point I will say thank God for alcohol! Without it I don’t think I would have laughed and handled the next events as well as I did. Upon leaving the kareoke room we had paid for our drinks but the rest of the group said we didn’t need to pay the room charge that was also listed on the bill. Kay and Carrie said “The girl on the way in said it was free. That’s why we came in here.” Sure, I’m just a follower tonight.

Well the waiter didn’t seem to think we were right and as we were making our way through the maze of dark hallways to the final exit it wasn’t a girl that stopped us. It was three guys that were soon backed up by four more guys dressed like they shopped at the same store as Fidel Castro.

Part of the brain said, “Whoa, this is bad!” but thanks to that good ol’alcohol my prevailing thought was “Oooo, this is going to be interesting!” The girls were unfazed. They just kept arguing with the waiter and then the manager. Girls always are that way in situations like this. Manuel and I on the other hand were dead silent looking at the guys in fatigues and trying to figure out how our fun night had quickly turned into a stand off in a Cambodian kareoke bar.

I stayed quite for what seemed like forever. I wasn’t moving or saying anything and neither were the Cambodians so that seemed like a good way to stay. Finally my mouth spoke before my brain could stop it. “How much money are we talking about?!” I shouted over the arguing girls. The manager looked at me and said “$8!”

Luckily my brain regained control by this point because the mouth wanted to say “Are you F$(@&ing kidding me?! Here is $10, we gone!” But like I said the brain was working and before my hand could reach into my pocket I had this thought. When there are almost 10 people in a stand off at 2 a.m. over $8 you do not want to be the cocky American that pulls out a money clip, searches through the $20’s for a $10, and in a condescending way drops it on the counter. It was back to standing and staring for me.

For all the differences in the world there are many more similarities. Apparently to a Cambodian, two drunk, girls arguing the same point over and over again is as annoying as it is to a Western guy and not even worth $8 in Cambodia. He waved his hand and said something in frustration. The infantry walked away and we walked out the door quickly and quietly. A block away we laughed our heads off. Thank God for alcohol!

We were just a block away from Kay & Carries guesthouse so we walked them to the door and said good night. Then I turned to Manuel and said, “Do you have any idea where we are?”

The businesses were all closed now. The paved streets were not in sight. Random lights on shacks provided nothing recognizable in any direction. Manuel looked around at these things and answered the way I knew he would “No idea!” ….and there were still no worries from either of us.

We wandered around for several blocks; nothing. We finally found a tuk-tuk and jumped in. We told him the name of our place and all we got was a blank stare. Worse yet, it wasn’t a language barrier. He spoke English and understood us. He just had never heard of the place we were staying and neither had any of the other drivers that he asked. I kicked myself for forgetting my standard little note with my current hotels name and address on it, usually a standard procedure for me before heading out in a new town. No problem, we’ll just give him directions.

The next hour was filled with random sparks of confidence. “Oh, that tree looks familiar. I know where we are. It’s just up here on the left!…..OK, maybe not.”

There is a great scene in the movie Say Anything where John Kusak has to drive a drunk guy around the suburbs of Chicago all night until he recognizes his house. I don’t think our tuk-tuk driver had seen the movie, and I didn’t try to explain the similarity to him, but that is pretty much how our night ended. We eventually found our place and it might have been the funniest $3 I have ever spent.

It’s time to go now. I have one more temple to see and Nat is waiting. Probably wondering where I am since this temple isn’t that big. I don’t think I’ll tell him that I’ve just been sitting here documenting drinking stories.
MJF

Phuket, Thailand 11/23/06

Phuket, Thailand 23/11/06
Happy Thanksgiving to me! I wonder if I can get turkey with my Phat Thai tonight.

In true fashion with how my life has become the opposite of many others I have designated this day my "work" day. No beach, diving, or climbing; time to catch up on some work stuff, book some things for upcoming destinations, and of course get caught up with my journal. While the rest of my American friends and family are taking a day off to eat and watch football I have decided to clock in. It's probably a good thing too. I need a break from the Sun. Despite my religious use of sun block, I have not been this tan since my life guarding days.

3 weeks. Actually 20 days to be exact. That's how long it took me before I walked into a new bar in a new town on a new island and had my name shouted out by friends that I didn't know would be there. And by “there” I mean that island. Again to be exact, I guess I technically felt Roxanne jump on my back before I heard Donna and the other table of Irish dive buddies calling me but that just made the surprise even better; international Backpacker friends from Thai islands past. This happened on Koh Phi Phi, an island that’s even on the other coast from when I last saw them a few weeks ago. I had no idea they were also now on Phi Phi. That basically sums up this island: The culmination of my Thai Island hopping and all the people that I have met along the way.

As I was getting on the already crowded ferry in Railay, headed to Phi Phi, I spotted a familiar face among all the dangling backpackers that had already gotten a place to sit for the 2 hour ride. I was boarding from a longtail boat and waved up to Floor, a girl from Holland that I had met diving in Koh Tao. She saved me a little square next to her on the railing and after depositing my backpack on the growing mountain of other packs stacked high on the deck I made my way over.

We compared travel stories since we had left Koh Tao and shared reports of what we had heard of Phi Phi. Both of us are traveling alone and had trouble making friends at our last stops. Traveling alone isn't bad of course. I would rather travel with friends or family. Obviously with that said if they can't go I am not going to wait around. You quickly get used to traveling alone. You only worry about yourself. You eat when you are hungry and you never have to ask someone what they are in the mood for. You go to sleep when you are tired and get up when you want to do what ever it is you have decided to do that day.

It's a liberating feeling but eating every meal alone after a few days gets a little old. Some nights you feel like having a few beers so you head to the bar but unless the atmosphere is right you are just going to sit there. I remember staring at an open pool table one night thinking it would be nice to shoot a couple games and just pass the time but there was no one to play with. I went to bed early that night and read my book. My 5 days in Railay were great but after climbing I really didn't have anyone to hang out with; no one to share my fantastic experiences from that day with. I had coffee with my climbing guide and his friends a couple nights but then it was off to dinner alone. Again it all comes down to balance. In Phi Phi it was time to socialize.

After talking to Floor it was obvious she had just completed the same kind of week. We had also both heard reports that finding accommodations on Phi Phi could be tricky because places fill up quick. Not a good thing when you are on a boat with hundreds of other Backpackers all heading to the same small island you are. For these reasons Floor and I joined forces and for the last 5 days I have had a roommate.

I also received a note from my German friend Manuel just before I left for Phi Phi. It seems
He had changed his route some and if I was still headed to Phi Phi we might run into each other. I responded to him and he met up with Floor and I for the first couple days.

I ran into probably 5 other people on Phi Phi that I knew from other places in Thailand, many times with them spotting me first. It is a great feeling to hear your name shouted in various accents and to see a smiling face waving to you from across the street.

I did some more diving in Phi Phi finishing up my PADI Advanced Open Water Certification. I think that is about it for me and dive certifications. There is no desire to get more. I think it will be nothing but fun dives in my future now but probably none on the rest of this trip. Good thing I live in Florida!

The two dives that stand out for me in Phi Phi were the wreck dive and night dive. Swimming around and in a huge sunken ship was awesome. Right out of the movies. The night dive was amazing for a few reasons. A thunderstorm moved in just as we dove so the lighting show of lightning flashing above the water was cool from 12 meters below.

Everyone talks about the isolation you feel on a night dive; swimming in pitch blackness with just your light beam to look at things. For me this was intensified by the fact that I was the only diver. It was just me and my instructor, Cliff. It’s probably not real cost effective to fire up a big dive boat and trek out into the water with just 1 diver but as Cliff pointed out “It’s not your fault nobody else signed up. You wanna dive, we dive.”

I leave this island in the morning. It’s back to Bangkok to track down a visa for China then off to Cambodia. My trip is quickly coming to an end….and I’m just getting used to it all! Then again the time I have left is still longer than a “normal” American vacation so I guess I should try to keep things in perspective.

A great example of how accustomed I have gotten to this wandering happened a few days ago on Phi Phi. Manuel was getting some money out of an ATM. Floor and I were waiting about 4 meters away. It was a busy section of the island and people were going in and out of shops and bars all around us. On a pay phone near Floor and me a girl (in a bikini at 8 p.m., but I digress) turned to us and asked “Do you know what day it is?”

Floor and I looked at each other and shrugged. I didn’t have a clue; not even within a day. Manuel a short distance away turned around to proudly insert “I think it’s the 21st!”
I said “I think she means what day of the week.”
To which she nodded yes.
“Oh, I don’t have a clue.” He said and turned around to finish his transaction.
The girl still with the phone pressed to one ear just looked at Floor and me. We started laughing (I laughed again the next day too when I found out Manuel wasn’t even right about the date. It was the 20th but again I digress)

So now bikini phone girl puts the phone down by her waist and turns around to the street. “DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS?! ANYONE?!” She shouted. Everyone looked at her with the same look Floor and I had. The look of “Uhhh, no. Come to think of it not only do I not know what day it is I can’t remember the last time it mattered.”
Finally she gave up her request and went back to the phone. Everyone else chuckled and went on with their carefree way.

And that sums up my time in Thailand; almost one full month in a tropical paradise where no one has any need for trivial things like days of the week.

MJF

Krabi, Thailand 11/18/06

Railay Beach Area, Krabi, Thailand 18/11/06

This will be a short entry. I can barely hold the pen. I have been rock climbing for the last day and a half and my fingers feel like they are raw. My arms are OK. It's my hands. As my guide Nuu said, “You have climbing muscles but consultant hands.” For 25 years old he is a wise man in more ways than just climbing.

I have LOVED the climbing though and I leave in the morning so I knew I had to get an entry done. This is passion. This is the feeling I crave; a sense of accomplishment. The feeling that the last two days are experiences I don't get very often but, or as a result, will remember vividly the rest of my life. I also feel like I need to change the rarity of it. I love climbing and I need to find a way to do it more often.

I wish I could write well enough to document every climb but I can't; the natural beauty of a huge rock face next to bright blue water, the warm sun and a shaded climb, the feel of the cliff face, the challenge, both physical and mental. There is no way I could convey how all these things combine to create an amazing experience.

The mental aspect goes pretty much like this:
1) I can't wait to climb.
2) Gear is on, rope is checked, uhhhh I don't even know where to start. Don’t tell me…I’ll figure this out.
3) Wow, that's a long way to go. I probably won't make it.
4) Hey, I'm half way up! How did I get here?
5) I'm starting to fall, better find another hold quick
6) Ahhh, found a good hold where's the next one?
7) I'm starting to fall, better find another hold quick
8) Ahhh, found a good hold where's the next one?
9) Holy $#%*! I'm at the top! F#@*^ Ya! Wow, what a view.
10) I can’t wait to climb.

Of course each climb is different so this isn’t always the case. Some are more challenging than others. Each climbing route is rated for difficulty and I basically max out at the 6A area. One 6A I made it the first time. Another 6A took me 4 times to beat. I’m better than I used to be from my Wisconsin days so that’s nice to know.

The routes were each uniquely beautiful but I will probably always picture the cliff known as Taiwan Wall first. Roughly a 30 meter, 6A climb, set about 50 meters up the face of the cliff and with about another 50 meters to go from the top of the climb to the top of the cliff. We made it to the start of the climb by entering through a series of caves on the other side of the mountain and repelling down to the start point.

If a picture is worth a thousand words I would fill this book and a few others trying to document its beauty. Thanks to my climbing partner, a girl, oddly enough from Taiwan, I think I have about a dozen pictures of it on the camera, and a crystal clear memory of it, so I will rely on them instead of my feeble words. The feeling I had when I reached the top was amazing!

I have a new Lottery goal. That dream you have that says "If I was to win the Lottery I would...." Ever since Ben got me the AC/DC Box Set I have not had a good Lottery dream. (I love AC/DC but could never bring myself to spend $50 on a bunch of songs that basically sound the same) There was no item that I could think I wanted but would only get if money wasn't a factor. Now I have one. I want to put a mountain in West Palm Beach! I want to dive in the morning and climb in the afternoon. I want to read in my hammock as the sun sets and be surrounded by all my friends. I want to be able to hike and kayak each day. I want to be able to run a hill when I feel like it and lay on the beach when I don't. I think a mountain in West Palm Beach would make this dream possible.

I think I would put it just west of 95 on Okeechobee Blvd., right on top of all those corporate Box stores. I'll check on the zoning restrictions with Josh when I talk to him next. If I'm lucky it will be zoned for Multi-Mountain C3-23.000 or something and I'll be able to put a couple mountains there. Maybe I’ll put one big one and a couple smaller ones. You know, for days when I am not feeling ambitious. Maybe a nice stream too.

I better start playing the Power Ball. This could get expensive.
MJF

Koh Tao, Thailand 11/14/06

Koh Tao, Thailand 14/11/06

I have been here about a week and it is exactly what I needed after koh Phangan. Koh Tao of course is another beautiful island with a mountain, or hill, in the middle; a common trait I'm finding of these islands. It is only a few square kilometers and if it wasn’t for that hill, or hills, in the middle you could easily run all over the island. I say that from experience. After running a few days along the beach I thought I would just run over, literally, to the other side. I almost needed a heart and lung transplant when I finally reached the top, which of course is only half way. I took satisfaction from knowing I had at least made it to the top but going down the other side just to have to run up it again was enough to deter me. Contrary to what my sister thinks I am not insane.

Oh, while I’m thinking about fun running memories I need to document another. I think it was my first run here and even though I knew this island didn't see a lot of joggers I went anyway. I only got a few strange looks from some young male backpackers who were probably thinking “Bloody Hell?! Why would you be exercising on holiday?! There’s beer to be drank and it’s already 4 p.m.!”

The fun part came when I got to the little port area of Ban Mae about 2 km from where I stayed. The beach trail that I was running ended so I took the road for a little while. As I was heading up the steep but now paved road that headed out of town I passed 2 little kids on a motorcycle and side car hauling cardboard. That’s a common scene here and these two looked like an older brother/ little brother team of about 10 and 8 years old.

The little brother was ridding in the sidecar holding the cardboard when I ran by them. It was a look of bewilderment at first. He was definitely not used to seeing someone run just for the fun of it. Then the look turned to “Hey, he just passed us!”

Even over the sound of the motorcycle , and in Thai, I could hear him start making fun of his older brother who was having some trouble finding the right gear to tackle the hill. Sure it was a different language but a little brother getting a chance to knock his big brother down a peg is international and a sound I know well.

I was probably 20 feet ahead of them when his brother found a decent gear and pulled up along side of me. I looked over to smile and picked up the pace to match them. The little brother loved this. The game was on! They both were grinning eat to ear. The little one started hitting his brother in the arm. They were now a team again. His brother lowered his head and shoulders into a racing streamline and cranked on the gas.

The little motorcycle made a gurgling noise trying to handle the sudden flood of fuel. This gave me at least a second or two to pull ahead again. Of course the engine soon caught up to the gas level. By now I am in a full sprint and even though the road has leveled out they soon make up the few strides I had on them and my lead was gone. They steadily pulled past and away cheering the whole way. I laughed and waved as they did the same. I slowed back down to a normal jog and hoped the burning in my legs would not last the rest of the run.

About 50 yards down the road I saw them sitting on the side looking back. When I got close enough to see their faces the little one started waving me on. Basically telling me to come on, we are waiting! Let’s do it again! I cracked up. I laughed while I put my hands up and shook my head no. Sorry guys I am not in Repeats shape. One sprint is all I got!

They understood the look of exhaustion on my face, smiled and waved again as they sped away. My only hope is that eventually they had to answer to a mother that said “What took you so long?” Just like my Mother said to me almost everyday when I did my paper route. It makes me feel good to think I was a fun distraction from some kids doing their chores.

I got off the main road soon after my race and made my way up a steep dirt path. The path continued past some shacks and huts where some locals obviously lived. Eventually it was just trees and boulders. I reached a clearing with a view of the bay below near a grove of trees and stopped there for my turn around rest. Out of the trees came an old guy who stopped at one of the trees and chopped off a huge bunch of bananas with a 3 foot long machete. As I stood there catching my breath he picked up the large bundle of bananas and walked over to me. He laid down the bunch near me and with surgical precision lopped off a single banana and handed it to me. He spoke no English but understood my “no money” gesture. Again, I don’t speak Thai but understood his “Don’t worry about it.” gesture. He hacked off one for himself and sat down. There in silence we both just looked out at the water view below and ate our bananas.

I looked around to see if there was by chance a Gatorade tree nearby with another old guy harvesting them but alas I had to settle for just a banana and a good traveler feeling. I gave the old man a heartfelt “Kawp Khun Kawp” (thank you) and a bow. He nodded in return and I started my run back down and home. Ahhhh, I do so love a good run! You never know what you are going to see.

This island is quiet compared to Phangan and most people come here to dive which is basically what has taken up most of my time. I now have my PADI Open Water certification and am 3 dives away from completing my Advance certification. I love diving, like there was any doubt that I wouldn’t. I can’t believe I live in Florida and it took me this long to do it. A great example of just how easily life gets complicated and you put off doing even the simplest thing because you will get to it later….but of course you don’t.

The place I dove with was great too, a place called Asia Dive. Great staff. Professional yet laidback attitude. As my dive instructor Al pointed out one night over beers at the dive shack bar. “Mat I hate to disappoint you but I’m just a stoner that knows how to dive.”

I think it’s time to go see some new stuff though. I will probably finish up my Advance dives when I reach the West coast of Thailand next week or so.

Dive class of course makes it easy to make new friends and I have added several more e-mail addresses to the rolodex. For some reason the place is crazy with Irish this week. My main hang out buddies have been Mark, Jason, Donna, & Roxanne, all from Ireland but mostly traveling alone, and two Swedish girls, Anna & Lin. All good times of course and I hope to cross paths with a few of them again later on in Thailand.

My little bungalow is nice here but I didn’t fall in love with it. I’ve gone econo and am no longer right on the beach. Now I am about 50 yards off the beach and my AC and hot water are gone too. It’s still pretty though and for about $10 a night you can’t complain. It is surrounded by beautiful flowers and palm trees and I think the local grounds keeper lives nearby. As I walked up to my shack on the first day I even saw chickens pecking around the grass and trees. How cool, I thought! This ain’t no chain motel that’s for sure!

Well it was cool until 5:30 a.m. when I was reminded that where there are chickens there are roosters. The “cock-a-doodle-do’s” didn’t stop until 8 a.m. No worries. I laid there and chuckled to myself every time they woke me up…..and have eaten chicken at every meal since!

I think that about sums up my time here in Koh Tao. I am off tonight on the overnight ferry to Surat Thani and then a bus to Krabi where I will set up camp again for a few days. I hope there are more great island bars like the Lotus Bar here in Koh Tao. It is the best beach shack bar I have ever seen!

Running, diving, bars. Running, diving, bars. These are rough days!
MJF

Koh Phangan, Thailand 11/7/06

Koh Phangan, Thailand 11/7/06

It’s my last night here in party paradise and I have mixed feelings about leaving. I have only been here 5 days but I have settled into a little routine and it’s been nice. Any minute now Manuel will walk around the corner and find me sitting on my porch. He will say, “Fancy a beer, Mat?” and I will say “yes” just like I have said every late afternoon since I met him save one. He will walk down the beach a short way and come back with a few cold bottles. We will sit and slowly sip the cold beers that we popped open on the railing of my porch.

The conversation will range from beer drinking stories from around the world to what new places we have heard are worth checking out. The conversation is slow with long gaps because we really aren’t here to talk. We are here to people watch and my porch is a great place for that. It has gotten slower though since the Full Moon 2 days ago. Just like you could feel things building up you can feel things winding down. Longtail boats were roaring away all day yesterday and this morning there was a steady stream of full packs being marched down the beach. Of course most of these Backpackers aren’t going home. Just off to some other part of Thailand like I am doing tomorrow morning when I will head to another island.

I like to think I lead a life of balance. It is often balanced at the extreme opposite ends of a spectrum but it’s balanced none the less. By that rational I need at least a week of clean living to balance out these 5 days and nights. Hell I haven’t even been taking my vitamin!

I guess technically I took it pretty easy yesterday. Only one beer and one pizza but of course that was after the Full Moon. A night out that lasted until day light…again. I’m not sure how it happens so easily. One minute you are dancing and singing on the beach with 10,000 friends, you just have not quite got around to meeting all of them yet, and the next thing you know its daylight. It’s got to be the bottle of Thai proof Red Bull they pour into each bucket.

I’m a rum man myself so I go with the old faithful rum, coke, & Red Bull all poured into a little bucket with some ice and a handful of straws, you know, for sharing with those 10,000 friends. You can get anything in a bucket here though and I do mean anything.
Not that a square like me really knows much of what that means though. I just know when a guy passes by you and discreetly says “You need anything?” He ain’t a waiter. I just smile and say no thanks just like I always have. I have done enough dumb things just on the rum to know I don’t need any other stimuli.

The actual Full Moon Party was amazing! I have attended more than my fair share of HUGE party events and this was by far the best. Sure the setting is hard to beat. A full moon over a crescent shaped bay with a soft sandy beach extending about 1 km from rocky cliff to rocky cliff. There was more to it though for me. There was a community feel that you don’t find at the other HUGE party events like Fantasy Fest, Mardi Gras, etc.

I also loved the laid back feel of it. No corporate banners. No main stage. No cover charges or tickets. No parade. No headliner with people just there to see them. In fact there was nothing scheduled at all but with all that non-planning there was still a planned aspect that made you know it was not a normal night.

Extra booths were set up along the beach where you could get food or buckets. There were stands to get your body painted with amazing designs in day glow paint. There were dance platforms set up at various points along the beach and of course extra sound systems to go along with them. There were some random decorations and black light areas too. The most unique feature was the “Sleep Areas”. Just a little 3 sided, marked off area with straw mats laid out and a lifeguard stationed in front. Wanna go to sleep and not get stepped on? Just go to the sleep area. No charge. No sign in.

My favorite organized element was the 30 foot scaffolding wall. I watched them set it up while I sat on my porch. It took them hours. As they were building it I wondered what it was going to be used for. Even as Manuel and I were sitting on the porch after dinner we were contemplating why they had built it. Just scaffolding on the beach? No lights mounted on it; No screens, banners or cloth; nothing.

About an hour later, a few hours after sunset, we finally saw more activity on the wall of scaffolding. The same guys that had spent hours building it started climbing it. As a few of them reached the top others started bringing out some large wire frames. After them, guys with really long torches. It took them just a few minutes to get it all in place and light it up. The scaffolding was just the means to hang a HUGE flaming sign. It read, “Amazing Thailand” with the silhouette of an elephant next to the words. “Amazing”, yes it is and so was the sign.

I met lots of people that night and they were all just faces in my memory by morning. Israeli, English, Irish, German, even a guy whose country I still can’t pronounce let alone know where it is. Manuel saw my confusion and just said “Eastern Europe”. I just said “Ahhhh”, like now I knew but of course I didn’t. No need to perpetuate an American stereotype, even if it is true.

So there it is. My first Full Moon Party. I am officially a “Backpacker”! As I wrap up my time here in Koh Phangan I need to state again how much I love the place I am staying. It is called the Palita Lodge and its fantastic! The people that run it are authentic and happy. They don’t treat you like a Dollar sign, or I guess I should say a Baht. I will be thinking about my great shack and daily free breakfasts (served anytime of day mind you and includes a cheese burger with fries as an option) reading my book in the hammock every afternoon, waking up to the sound of rolling waves, and a German guy stopping by around sunset with cold beer.

I need to wrap this up now and get ready for those said beers. Manuel is bringing a guest tonight. An Ausie girl that moved in next door to him. Australia! I definitely know where that is!
MJF