Tuesday, February 16, 2010
last of Thailand
Jayda:
Chris is uploading pictures and too exhausted to write so I will write our last Thai blog.
I cannot believe that we have been here almost a month as I stare at the vicious rash on my leg. Tomorrow is our last day in Thailand. It has been an adventure to say the least but yet we have had an amazing time! We have wrecked a scooter, been so sick we couldn't get out of bed and had over a thousand dollars stolen from us. Still, this has been one of our favorite places and we hope to return one day. Their culture is far from what we think of as normal. There is no real laws or rules. It is all corrupt and you have to really know what you are doing at times or you will be ripped off for sure. The food is delicious yet horrible for me. The beaches are phenomenal! I have never seen anything like it in my life. The water is so blue and crystal clear. I really dreaded leaving the islands. Unfortunately we had to return to Bangkok today to get ready to fly out. There is much shopping here but also an abundance of tourists and crowded streets. I have learned many important lessons while here. The Thai people are completely different, not good or bad just different, from us in more ways than not. Although we have met many kind and generous people this says little for the population as a whole. They just think very differently. And as I said before, I have gained even more appreciation for my own country. These people do not have a justice system or the freedoms we receive as Americans. Tomorrow we head for Hong Kong. I am sad because I have become so comfortable and accustomed to the ways here yet I am ready for a new adventure. Soon we will be back home. I will be ecstatic to see my pets and family and friends yet I have no clue what life has in store for us. It will be back to the depressing world of our awful economy and dreadful job searching. Hopefully potential employers will realize that we have learned more on this trip than many people learn in a lifetime. I have gained new insight to myself and the world around me. I feel that our traveling has only begun(sorry mom) and
that there is much in our future.
Chris is uploading pictures and too exhausted to write so I will write our last Thai blog.
I cannot believe that we have been here almost a month as I stare at the vicious rash on my leg. Tomorrow is our last day in Thailand. It has been an adventure to say the least but yet we have had an amazing time! We have wrecked a scooter, been so sick we couldn't get out of bed and had over a thousand dollars stolen from us. Still, this has been one of our favorite places and we hope to return one day. Their culture is far from what we think of as normal. There is no real laws or rules. It is all corrupt and you have to really know what you are doing at times or you will be ripped off for sure. The food is delicious yet horrible for me. The beaches are phenomenal! I have never seen anything like it in my life. The water is so blue and crystal clear. I really dreaded leaving the islands. Unfortunately we had to return to Bangkok today to get ready to fly out. There is much shopping here but also an abundance of tourists and crowded streets. I have learned many important lessons while here. The Thai people are completely different, not good or bad just different, from us in more ways than not. Although we have met many kind and generous people this says little for the population as a whole. They just think very differently. And as I said before, I have gained even more appreciation for my own country. These people do not have a justice system or the freedoms we receive as Americans. Tomorrow we head for Hong Kong. I am sad because I have become so comfortable and accustomed to the ways here yet I am ready for a new adventure. Soon we will be back home. I will be ecstatic to see my pets and family and friends yet I have no clue what life has in store for us. It will be back to the depressing world of our awful economy and dreadful job searching. Hopefully potential employers will realize that we have learned more on this trip than many people learn in a lifetime. I have gained new insight to myself and the world around me. I feel that our traveling has only begun(sorry mom) and
that there is much in our future.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Pictures from Thailand
Made completely of Condoms.. for Aids awareness
View from Train ride
Chris driving the boat
Koh Tao
Crazy cat
Ko Phangan
Our group
Brett on the swing
Us at Sunset
Fire dancers
Brett, Martin and Chris
More fire dancers
Beautiful sunsets
Cambodia and first half of Thailand
Jayda:
Cambodia
Cambodia was eventful but worth it in the end. Our first night the taxi driver was crazy and wouldn't take us to our hotel. Chris and I both thought he was going to rob us. After a long night of arguing we got to our hotel and prayed we would never see that guy again. So after this I was extremely skeptical of anyone. After talking to a few people that we met I decided to give Cambodia another chance. I wish I could tell you that they are nice honest people but that would be a lie. Everyone is out to make as much money as they can so they will tell you anything. This is very much the same in Thailand. I'm sure that deep down these people have a heart but they are such a different culture. They think much different than American businessmen. We stayed in Siem Reap in Cambodia. This town is known for their many temples, including Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is known as one of the seven man made wonders of the world and it is amazing! All the temples were so intricate in their design. It was crazy to think of how much time the people must have put into these temples. We toured approximately 12 temples in the area. The rest of our time we spent shopping and hanging out with some Canadians we met. Also while in Siem Reap we ate at some amazing restaurants. I read in our guide book about some places that donated money to various things such as helping street children. So we tried to eat at as many of those places as we could. My favorite was called The Singing Tree Cafe and they had healthy food and the most amazing fresh orange juice. And also if you do not know about the history of Cambodia and the genocide they experienced in the 1970s you must read the book "First They Killed My Father." Chris and I both read it in a day or two. I never knew this went on in Cambodia. This is also the reason it is very rare to see any elderly people there. They were killed of in the Khmer Regime. About 2 million people died out of a population of only 7 million! Also many were later injured or died because of land mines. This country made me appreciate America more than ever before.
Thailand
We have been in Thailand for 7 days now. We met some friends in Bangkok and then took a long but beautiful train ride south. From there we got an overnight ferry that was like a slave ship. You get on and people are just lined up all over the floor asleep. Chris and Brett stayed up all night chatting with the captain and driving our boat. We first landed on the island of Koh Toa. It was very nice but very touristy. We had a rough time being ripped off and decided to move on. We are now on the island of Ko Phang Nan. This is beyond the most beautiful beach I have ever seen! Even though we paid for a hotel online and they wouldn't give us a room or refund, most of the people are more honest and friendly. The hotel we found has some of the friendliest staff and best food. I am soaking up the sun and enjoying the spectacular view of the ocean as I write this blog. I am not looking forward to leaving this paradise but there's much more we want to see.
Chris:
I will make this one short. Mainly because I am sitting on the beach on an absolutely fabulous day, making it very difficult to write.
We spent 1 night in Bangkok where we met Kris Webber, Somers' Gardner and her boyfriend Tony. It was nice to see them all but they all flew out the night we got there. So we got a train to Cambodia the next morning.
Cambodia was amazing. The temples at Angkor Wat are the most amazing thing I have seen thus far on our trip. There are very emmaculate temples with not a square inch not covered with some type of decoration. We saw a total of about 12 temples in an eight hour period. Jayda and I both read a book about the genocide that took place there in the 70's and was a great insight into their culture and also a great history lesson.
Back to Bangkok we went to meet Dallas Way, Brett Dowdy. And their friend Mary. We have been together ever since. We have been to 2 islands thus far and have really enjoyed the beaches here. They are absolutely the most amazing beaches I have ever seen. We are having so much fun with friends so it makes it hard to blog and we are also moving around a great deal.
Cambodia
Cambodia was eventful but worth it in the end. Our first night the taxi driver was crazy and wouldn't take us to our hotel. Chris and I both thought he was going to rob us. After a long night of arguing we got to our hotel and prayed we would never see that guy again. So after this I was extremely skeptical of anyone. After talking to a few people that we met I decided to give Cambodia another chance. I wish I could tell you that they are nice honest people but that would be a lie. Everyone is out to make as much money as they can so they will tell you anything. This is very much the same in Thailand. I'm sure that deep down these people have a heart but they are such a different culture. They think much different than American businessmen. We stayed in Siem Reap in Cambodia. This town is known for their many temples, including Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is known as one of the seven man made wonders of the world and it is amazing! All the temples were so intricate in their design. It was crazy to think of how much time the people must have put into these temples. We toured approximately 12 temples in the area. The rest of our time we spent shopping and hanging out with some Canadians we met. Also while in Siem Reap we ate at some amazing restaurants. I read in our guide book about some places that donated money to various things such as helping street children. So we tried to eat at as many of those places as we could. My favorite was called The Singing Tree Cafe and they had healthy food and the most amazing fresh orange juice. And also if you do not know about the history of Cambodia and the genocide they experienced in the 1970s you must read the book "First They Killed My Father." Chris and I both read it in a day or two. I never knew this went on in Cambodia. This is also the reason it is very rare to see any elderly people there. They were killed of in the Khmer Regime. About 2 million people died out of a population of only 7 million! Also many were later injured or died because of land mines. This country made me appreciate America more than ever before.
Thailand
We have been in Thailand for 7 days now. We met some friends in Bangkok and then took a long but beautiful train ride south. From there we got an overnight ferry that was like a slave ship. You get on and people are just lined up all over the floor asleep. Chris and Brett stayed up all night chatting with the captain and driving our boat. We first landed on the island of Koh Toa. It was very nice but very touristy. We had a rough time being ripped off and decided to move on. We are now on the island of Ko Phang Nan. This is beyond the most beautiful beach I have ever seen! Even though we paid for a hotel online and they wouldn't give us a room or refund, most of the people are more honest and friendly. The hotel we found has some of the friendliest staff and best food. I am soaking up the sun and enjoying the spectacular view of the ocean as I write this blog. I am not looking forward to leaving this paradise but there's much more we want to see.
Chris:
I will make this one short. Mainly because I am sitting on the beach on an absolutely fabulous day, making it very difficult to write.
We spent 1 night in Bangkok where we met Kris Webber, Somers' Gardner and her boyfriend Tony. It was nice to see them all but they all flew out the night we got there. So we got a train to Cambodia the next morning.
Cambodia was amazing. The temples at Angkor Wat are the most amazing thing I have seen thus far on our trip. There are very emmaculate temples with not a square inch not covered with some type of decoration. We saw a total of about 12 temples in an eight hour period. Jayda and I both read a book about the genocide that took place there in the 70's and was a great insight into their culture and also a great history lesson.
Back to Bangkok we went to meet Dallas Way, Brett Dowdy. And their friend Mary. We have been together ever since. We have been to 2 islands thus far and have really enjoyed the beaches here. They are absolutely the most amazing beaches I have ever seen. We are having so much fun with friends so it makes it hard to blog and we are also moving around a great deal.
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