Trekking

Going on a good trek was an important thing for me going into my trip. I wanted the opportunity to interact with alot of hilltribe villagers in an intimate and unique setting. However, the essence of trekking has kind of lost it's allure as of recent years because it is becoming too much of a tourist attraction. Chang Mai is the most popular city for trekking, so I avoided doing it there because I was afraid it was going to be too many foreigners in one spot doing the same thing. So I ventured up to Chang Rai, the "Gateway to the Golden Triangle." The Golden Triangle is part of the northern most part of Thailand, including the lower corners of Burma and Laos, and has been the opium transport capital of the world for hundreds of years. I chose Chang Rai as my spot to trek because of it's plethora of hill tribes located throughout the mountainside. Hill tribes are indigiouness tribes that lead a fairly primitive lifestyle and have maintained the same traditions since way back when. However, many hill tribes now make money from tourists coming to their villages on treks, so they have been able to lead more updated lifestyles. Some villagers have televisions and refrigerators!

With Jong the tour guide leading the way, I ventured off with Tom and Kelly from Scotland on a two day, one night, 20 kilometer trek through the jungle into very remote hill tribe villages. The three of us wanted to be as far away from development as possible, and wanted to stay with a hill tribe that still kept its traditions at heart. The first day was chock full of activities, including a long tail boat ride up the river, an elephant ride, and then a long uphill hike up a mountain and into a Lahu hill tribe village. It was like going back in time. These people do not have electronics, they do not have refrigerators, they do not have lights. A few of the huts use solar energy, but that is as far as it goes. Their homes are made up of bamboo and straw, and scattered throughout the village are dogs, pigs, cows, and chickens, living hand in hand with the Lahus. It was a great experience, we got to eat some delicious curries and soups, we slept in a Lahu hut, I took the most primitive shower I could have ever imagined, and we got to run around and play with the Lahu children, who absolutely love the camera. Furthermore, we were the only foreigners there.

The next morning we woke up bright and early and continued our voyage through the mountains. At times the hike was pretty difficult, there was never a set trail to walk on, and there was alot of jumping from rock to rock. Later in the day we visited an Akha hill tribe village, which was interesting because they were more of an advanced hill tribe. They have accumulated the most money out of the other hilltribes, and as a result have been able to update their lifestyle. They have electricity, they have motor bikes, their huts are a bit more niceley done. So, it was nice, but not as interesting as being with the Lahus. After a nine hour hike that day, our trek came to a close. It was a very unique experiece, something that I'll always remember, and it was a perfect way to end my 5 weeks in the north of Thailand.

You Know What they Say About Women with Long Necks?

Sorry for the gap in between posts, I've been on the move alot and have not been around many computers. I took a side trip from Pai on a motor bike all the way to Mae Hong Son, in the north west corner of Thailand. In Mae Hong Song I went to see the famous Padaung Longneck villagers of the Karen hilltribe. I'm sure most of you have seen atleast a picture of these villagers, who's claim to fame is the long, heavy brass coils roped around their necks. It was really interesting to see all of them in their environment. Me and a mate were the only foreigners for miles, and it was unreal how primitive their lives actually were. We walked around their village and snapped some shots, tried to communicate with them as best as we could. They were quite friendly and in favor of all photo ops.

I just got into Chang Rai, and have officially entered the Golden Triangle, a historical area reknown for it's opium transport. For now, I'll stick to just adding sugar to my oatmeal.

Some More Sweet Pai

Hey guys... I've been in Pai now for a about five days and it's still keeping it's magic. There's not so much to do within the town, so the last couple of days have been spent on a motorbike exploring the outskirts, including a couple of waterfalls, good hiking, and the deepest cave Thailand has to offer.

There's an interesting atmosphere and attitude within the town. 25 years ago, Westerners passing through Pai loved it so much they decided to stay. They built little eateries or shops, and the town was their hidden gem no one else knew about. Thais didn't even know Pai existed. But a Thai movie was recently shot here, and it populiarzed the place so much that now the wealthy of Bangkok have been buying land and building on it. Also, the young generation of 20-somethings have read all about Pai in their guidebooks and it's slowly becoming a staple in the backpacker route. So as a result, there is a big divide between the older Westerners and young backpacking Westerners because they feel like we, the younger generation, are trespassing into their territory. They found it first, it was tranquil and escapist, but now it's slowly fading away into the upscale and mainstream. More expensive hotels are being built and more Thais are moving in... their gem has been found. So, the older Westerners stick to their spots in town and the young Westerners stick to theirs, and they don't mix. It's like the Sharks vs. the Jets in West Side Story, without the dancing.


Aside from that, this place is great to meet other travellers. And I use the word 'travellers' specifically. I have found over the course of four weeks that there is a huge difference between a 'tourist' and a 'traveller'. Pai is full of great travellers. There's John the spiritual Brit, Gareth the pessimistic vegan, Jean the mountain biker from Quebec, Gabby the tatted up wanderer from Austria, Carla the actress from London, Amit the jokester from Israel, and a big crew of British guys that I've gotten tight with. Hailing from Beantown, Ryan's favorite things to do is trip on shrooms and go snorkelling.

Pick your poison.

The Other Murray from New Zealand

Murray was born in New Zealand in 1952. Murray does not own a home or a car. Murray does not have a family or relatives. Murray is a wanderer, a nomad of sorts, living country to country. He has been to more than 80 countries, and when he runs out of money he works where ever he is, earns enough, and keeps going. I met Murray at my bungalow when I first arrived in Pai. While sitting in a hammock listening to tunes, Murray propped himself next to me and began talking for what was the beginning of a two hour lecture. He seemed like the kind of guy that if in New York City, would be on the Union Square steps on a Saturday preaching to who ever would listen. It started out with U.S. government (obviously), then went on to things like meditation, only eating things with seeds, the Vietnam War, being okay with transvestites, Ghandi, why the human body isn't made to digest meat, and so on. Over the course of this 120 minute one-way dialogue, my mind definitely wandered abit. I thought about things like the Giants' meltdown, my favorite VH1 reality shows, and how my roommate was doing at the NFL Combine. Then he said something that woke me up... he said, "Alex, there are two journeys going on right now with you. The one outside of you, all around you, every place you go... and one inside you."

I went on a journey with Murray the following day. I knew there was much to learn from him. We went on a three hour hike to a waterfall in the hills of town. It was a bit difficult to catch Murray's drift at first. Remember, he's a little loose hinged. He'd be walking, would stop and turn to a tree, and hug it. What was I gonna do, stand there like an idiot? I had to hug a tree too. He would start flinching and flailing his arms all over, just so his body would feel a different sensation. He asked me to sing to him, and wouldn't take no for an answer. So I hit him with some Lil Wayne, some Spin Doctors, some Oasis... all the stuff JD's dad would be proud of.

After an hour's walk, he stopped, turned to me and said, "Alex, if you do this trip correctly, you will not return home the same person as when you left." As stated before, Murray is a nomad. He once lived in a desert in Australia for three weeks, in total solitude, completely naked. He didn't bathe for 21 days, didn't wear shoes, and slept on rocks. He loved every minute of it. He built a hut in the woods of New Zealand and lived in it for six months, in total solitude, completely naked. When he needed supplies, he walked 90 minutes to the nearest road and hitch hiked to town.

Murray taught me, "You can't confuse the concept of 'what's right' with 'personal preference'. Too often, we proclaim our personal preference as "right". Yes, there are universal rights and wrongs... bombing buildings is wrong, 2+2=4 is right, and so on. What we prefer isn't right or wrong, it's just what we prefer... so it's what's right for us. But that doesn't mean it's right for everyone else. Throughout the day Murray kept preaching the idea of allowing the boy mind inside me to run free and play. "Alex, whatever you do with your life, no matter how old you get, no matter where you go... let the boy inside you play and be free."

Over the course of a full day and a half with Murray I learned a whole lot. What specifically, I am not quite sure. But you'll know as soon as I know. For a guy who's incredibly off the charts, who lives months at a time in complete naked solitude, who has no home or set job or family, he knows an awful lot about the world around him and just as much about current events. Smart... what a subjective word.

It was the end of a gloriously insightful day, and I didn't care to let him know that my name was Max.

A Nice Slice of Pai

Pai is a secret you don't want to tell anyone about. You'd be too afraid they'd ruin it. Sandwiched in a valley 100 miles northwest of Chang Mai, Pai is filled with people who had way too much fun in the 60's and 70's and just decided they didn't want the era to end. If you ever had an itch to grow a long beard and dreads, this is the place you'd do it. Pai is the colorful, cushion on the floor, hammock swaying fantasy you saw in a cool hippie movie. There's no temples, no museums, no tourist attractions. This is a place where you come to lay low, rent a bike to tour the country side, and as Bob Marley said, "Lively up yourself." Not to mention, they have a kick ass live music scene for everyone's taste.

I have no idea why, but I felt like walking from venue to venue asking if anyone needed a drummer for the night. As it turned out, Bebop Cafe was having a jam night, and because no one ever plays the drums, they always call up the house drummer to fill in. For the first time in my musical career, I was happy to be a drummer instead of wishing I'd been a guitarist. I jammed to some blues with a lead guitarist from Sweden, a bassist from Connecticut, a rythm guitarist from Japan, and a singer who just made a bunch of noises from Bangkok. I must admit, more people showed up to see Flight of the Conchords play a gig in an elevator. But overall, it was a very chill way to spend the evening.

It's Much Better on Top

Yesterday Corto and I took motorbikes and cruised all the way to Thailand's highest point, Doi Inthanon. At 2,565 meters high, Mount Inthanon is home to more than 4000 native tribespeople, surrounded by peaks, valleys, and rice fields. Along the way were four waterfalls, which were nice, but peanuts compared to the two monsters I've had the pleasure of seeing. The ride took all day, as the mountain was about 70 miles away, plus a 35 mile drive up.

After getting back into the Chang Mai area, we went on the biggest tourist attraction yet. The Chang Mai Night Safari is a zoo on wheels of sorts, where an open sided bus takes you into a built up reserve filled with all kinds of animals. There were only cages for the dangerous animals like tigers and lions, so the cool part was being so close to the more gentile animals like zebras and giraffes without having barricades between us. Although I try to stay away from the tourist trail, some of it you just gotta do.

Below is a picture of me at the top of Doi Inthanon and another one of the coolest sunset I've ever seen, taken at the base of the mountain. The quality is poor, I know, and I just figured out why... so it won't be like that anymore.

Gotta Pee? Get a Leg Massage!

As I wrote before, everything about Thailand is totally different than anything I've ever known. This truth took a giant leap while in the bathroom at a club the night of my birthday.

Upon entering the men's room, I noticed there were an unusual amount of bathroom attendants. I've see one, at a really nice place two, but never five. Anyways, I don't think too much of it. I step to the urinal and begin doing what I came to do. Out of no where, one of the attendants sneaks up behind me and starts giving me a back rub. Now, growing up in the New York area all my life, when a situation like this occurs, flags go up. He was sneakier than the butler from Mr. Deeds...



But it doesn't end there. I go to the sink and wash my hands. One guy immediately starts massaging my ears and cracking my neck, one guy stretches out my arms, and a third guy actually gets down on his knees and massages my legs. I didn't know what to make of it, and I didn't know how to not laugh at the situation. When in Rome, right? I made sure to visit the men's room three more times.

Chang Mai

First off, Happy Valentine's Day, happy birthday Aunt Daryl, and happy birthday to me! Yes, I am 23... mom, come on, fight those tears.

I have been in Chang Mai for the past few days, and it really is a fantastic city. Set in the north of Thailand, Chang Mai is a small city surrounded by mountains and hills, and is a great jumping point for trekking, hiking, and outdoor sports. It is a very eclectic city with a hip, young flare, and is alot of fun to walk around in, mainly because of it's Venice-like alley ways that bring you to little eateries and bars tucked away from the hustle and bustle. There is a variety of style and culture, a mix of international cuisine, and some of Thailand's richest history. Corto the Frenchmen and I are staying in a brand new hostel, so it's super clean and neat, has a hot shower (great commodity), and it costs all of $3.

The majority of Chang Mai's sightseeing is temples, but some of Thailand's tallest mountains are just miles away, and trekking tours are also popular. We've spent a few days doing the intra-city stuff, so tomorrow and the next few days will involve a motorbike and the mountains.

My birthday was a typical sight seeing day, followed by a club that night. It was my first legit night of going out since I've been in Thailand, so we had a good time.

Alot of you have asked me about pictures, and now that I'm almost three weeks into my trip, I'll begin putting them into albums for your viewing pleasure... Adios!

Another Theorem?

2 Extremely Attractive Girls + 2 Irish Accents = 2 Extremely Unattractive Girls

Before

After

Follow My Path

Saw-wad-dii! (Hello),
I just added a map to the right under the 'links' section, and this one allows me to draw on it so that you can see my exact routes of travel and the ground I'm covering, along with a description of how I've gotten from place to place. It's a much more informative map than the other one, but I'll keep the old one in case you don't like all the lines. Grandma, right click the title that says, 'Track My Progress' and click 'open in new window'.

Refugee Situation at Burma/Thai Border

Right now there is a very hostile situation going on the Burma/Thai border town of Mae Sot, where Corto and I were for the falls. Don't worry, we're not near any wars or village burnings... but all of that stuff definitely occured over the past few months. Have you all seen the movie Blood Diamond? If you have, well, that is pretty much the situation going on right here on the border. If you haven't, picture Burmese rebels and militants going into quiet villages, killing the men, raping the women, and taking the children as soldiers. There is alot of supression in the Karen villages of Burma, inhabited by the native Karen hill tribes. The rebels are vying for their land, rich with gem stones and other vast natural resources. But these Karen people, who have turned into freedom fighters, are desperately trying to protect their home. How does Thailand play a role in this?

As a result of the insurgency, Burmese refugees are crossing into Thailand by the thousands, in hopes of living a peaceful life. But the Burmese government basically said to Thailand, "Do not allow any illegal Burmese into your country. In exchange, we will better define our mountainous borders, ensuring you get a nice cut of the excavations." As a result, as Corto and I travelled the border all the way down to Um Phang from Mae Sot, there were about a dozen military checkpoints, and any Burmese/person without idenitification was removed from the bus.

So remember Alexandra, the nice girl who gave us a ride? She developed an oraganization to help the Burmese refugees, with a focus on the Karen hill tribes who have slowly been killed off. Her organization, Quebec-Birmanie, works to help protect the villagers by feeding, clothing, and schooling the children in their refugee camps.

I've attatched the link of the organization's website to the right. The site is only in French but you can click on some stuff to see pictures of what life is like for these people. Below is a picture of a Burmese refugee camp and a group of people tubing across a river that seperates Thailand from Burma, illegally entering the country.

Just Stick Out Our Thumbs?

At the bus station waiting to get to Um Phang from Mae Sot, I met what seemed to be the only other foreigner for a hundred miles. A Frenchmen named Corto (pronounced Cock-2), was headed in the same direction as I was, so we buddied up and got a room when we arrived in Um Phang. This town was in the absolute middle of no where, as remote as can be, and it was obvious it was going to be a challenge getting around... but that's all part of the experience.

There is no public transport to the waterfall. The only way to get there is via a trekking tour. But the trekking in Um Phang is sub par compared to the northern parts of Thailand, so we didn't want to pay for all that. The only other option was to hire a private driver for the day, but way expensive, no way. So, we sat down and weighed our options. Hitch hiking is actually a very safe and common practice in Thailand, so we figured, let's do it. It's two hours to the falls from Um Phang, so we woke up bright and early because we had no idea how long this hitching process was going to take. Luckily, we got a sawngtheaw to get us about a third of the way. From there, 22 mile walk to the falls. We started walking, walking, walking, and walking. After a two hour walk that seemed more like two days, we flagged down a car. It was a park ranger who was on his way up to the falls... clutch.

The falls were out of this world. With four falls, the highest one being 600 feet from the base, the sight of it was unreal. There was a trail leading all the way up to the pool of the highest one, and it was really cool to swim where all the water was falling, smashing into the pool from hundreds of feet high. After a couple of hours swimming, jumping, and basking in the natural beauty, it was time to figure out a way back.

We approached two Westerners who were walking to what looked like to be their own car. We asked them for a lift, and it was as simple as that. Richard and Alexandra, a step father and step daughter from Quebec, drove us all the way back to our place in Um Phang, where they got a room, too. Alexandra lives in Mae Sot and runs an organization for Burmese refugees. I'll write about her story in the next post, it's a fascinating one.

Below is a picture of the falls and me jumping off one.

A Loooooong Night

I just came off one hell of a travel night. I wrote that my destination was going to be difficult to get to, but that was an understatement. Following the map to the right, I took a bus at 8:30 p.m. from Ayuthaya, located directly north of Bangkok, arriving in Tak at 2 a.m., located a bit west of Pitsanuloke. From Tak, I immediately jumped on a bus due for Mae Sot, located directly west on the Burmese border. The bus was jam packed, so the driver let me sit up front with him. Soon after hitting the road, he popped open a beer and started drinking. Not wanting to drink and drive all by his lonesome, he kindly offered me one. I graciously refused... someone had to be keeping an eye on the road, right? I got to Mae Sot at 4 a.m., froze my ass off at the outdoor bus station until 7 a.m. (it's cold here at night), then hopped on a sawngthaew for five hours to Um Phang, located just south of the little divot below Mae Sot. So, I arrived in Um Phang at 12 noon, exhausted, dirty, and hating buses. From where I started in Ayuthaya, it looks like I took the most convulated way to get to Um Phang. Unfortunatelty, it was the one and only way to get there from where I was, as the region is very mountainous and underdeveloped. Yeah, if I was in Bangkok I could have gone direct to Mae Sot and skipped the two hour ride from Tak, but we still have to take that beat up pick up truck after that for five hours anyway. And why did I do all this, you ask? 'Cuz, Thailand's largest waterfall is located here... just two hours away.

Costs, Exchange, and How to get Around

I just realized that while raving about how cheap it is and how easy it is to get around, I haven't even referenced the sources and basics of costs and transport. So I'll do that now.

The Thai currency is called Baht, and the exchange is just under 35 Baht per U.S. dollar. My rooms have cost me 100 Baht, my meals are 30-50 Baht, a bottle of water is 5-10 Baht, and a bottle of beer is 50 Baht. Mind you, I'm paying for four walls, a bed, and a cold shower. So, on a day when I'll just hang out and cruise town, I'll spend between $10-$12. The most I've spent in a day was $20, and that was because I was doing a ton of moving around. But on average, going to a temple or two, maybe renting a bike, or going to a national park, I'll spend more like $12-$16. Crazy, no?

Modes of transportation are pretty interesting here.

There's motorbike taxis, and they'll take you somewhere a few miles away, like the center of town to a bus station or something like that. That'll cost you 20-50 Baht. There's also a sawngthaew, a pick up truck with two benches and a canopy. These range from having fixed routes to cruising town picking up people who need a ride. I used one to travel 5 hours into another region and all it cost me was 120 Baht. So, they're dirt cheapt too. In big cities you have what's called a tuk-tuk, a three wheeled motor scooter with a carriage in the back. They're more for going one part of the city to another, 30 Baht. Renting a motor bike is great, too, and that's what I've been using alot of. A 24-hour rental will cost you 150 Baht, so it's barely five bucks for the day and it only costs $2 to fill up. Bicycle rental is 30 Baht for the day, great for seeing a town's outskirts. And lastly you have a full range of buses. The ordinary bus is your local town to town bus with no A/C (which you need here), and the first/second class bus is the air conditioned multi-hour trip bus with good recline capability. Obviously, first class gets you more comfort. Then there's VIP, the two tiered bus great for overnight drives long ways away, like 9-12 hours. This would be the equivalent of flying first class on an air plane. The train system isn't great here, as they travel rather slow. But these are clutch for over night trips twelve hours away because it will kill a night of accomodation and get you somewhere in the morning, plus you can get a sleeper car.

Odds & Ends

I finally left Kanchanaburi and am now in Ayuthaya, one of Thailand's oldest cities, with history dating back as far as a thousand years ago. I was definitely a bit sad to leave Kanchanaburi, eventhough it's a lazy, two or three day kind of a town. I experienced my first bit of south-east Asia rain... big, thick, dense, drops. It was cool to watch. Yesterday I went with Jang to a Thai supermarket to pick up some stuff for her bar and I gave her a crash course on American style drinks and mixers.

I still can't believe how ridiculously inexpensive things are over here. When I was in Europe, we would leave one restaurant and go to another because dinner would be $18 instead of $24. Here, it's comparing restaurants that are serving dishes for $1.75 vs. $2.25. It's a back packer's dream.

So, here in Ayuthaya there isn't much to do except go on temple tours. The ruins are actually quite fascinating because they go back so far in history. What was once Thailand's capital, Ayuthaya was overthrown by Burmese armies and destroyed. Just a few years later, however, a new capital was established in Bangkok, roughly 35 miles to the south. To see where I am, look directly north of Bangkok.

An Equation of a Different Kind

Very Attractive Girl + Scottish Accent = Very Unattracitve Girl

Where am I?

To the right of my posts, there is a link to a map of Thailand. Grandma, right click it, and hit 'open in new window'. Every new place I go I'll try and leave you with a location so that you can see where I am on the map. Thanks for the suggestion, JD!

If you look at Bangkok right in the middle, go a little north to Ayuthaya. Right now I am in a small town located near the 'A' of Ayuthaya.

Just Dig a Little Deeper

Finally, me and Tim arrived at Erawan Waterfall! We rode the equivalent of Westport to NYC on motorbikes to a 7-tiered water-runner with a great hike up each fall. At the top, I climbed up a bit further where there was no safe public access, and found an even better, more beautiful eighth waterfall. A small fall sandwiched between two giant boulders, at first glance seems like nothing more than water flowing over rocks. But as I jumped in and swam closer, I found a small crevice in between the enourmous boulders, which lead to a giant cave behind and underneath the waterfall. Where no person goes and with nothing to deflower it, I was swimming in the bluest, clearest, purest water. The cave's pool was very deep and naturally spherical, with little ledges to sit on so that I could look out through the waterfall to where "the rest of the world" was. It was one of the most amazing natural wonders I'd ever seen, and it was impossible to carry my camera with me.

After that, Tim and I camped out at the base of the waterfall. We had a tent at the foot of the river and lucky for us, had the entire park to ourselves. All of the park bungalows were empty, and the camp site was a ghost town. We cruised around the park on our motor bikes like kids in a candy store, no one to tell us what to do. When night came, the only light we had was the moon and my head lamp that I thought I'd never use (thank you Eli, Sterling). We brought tiny speakers to plug in our i-pods, and it was absolute tranquility, having nothing but the sounds of the river and nature be the only soundtrack the entire night. We did all you could do... just chill... Tim read his book, I wrote in mine.

Prostitution... An Equal Opportunity Employer

Two nights ago, I was propositioned by two deaf hookers. Basically, we communicated by typing back and forth on their phone. They were very nice at first, just making "conversation". I actually found them quite interesting, as I had never had a dialogue with a deaf person before. Then it became obvious that they were looking for some money in exchange for their company.

As morally reprehensible as prositution is, I walked away feeling very proud of the deaf hookers. It takes alot of courage, dedication, extra effort, and desire for a person to succeed in an industry, sport, and/or job that isn't suited for them. In this case, I guess that would hold true for prostitutes that are deaf. In a sex industry that requires conversing, flirting, and maybe even a bit of convincing... these girls found a way. They weren't going to let their situation derail their dreams... they found a way.

I told them, "Sorry, but I can't", then realized they couldn't hear me... so I typed it to them on their phone.

Thai Hospital = You're the Doctor!

Okay Grandma, don't get nervous... I wasn't at a hostpital because I was in trouble, I'm 100% healthy. This morning, Tim, Jennifer, Madison, Kate, and I rented motor bikes and cruised the country side on the way up to one of Thailand's biggest waterfalls, a seven-tiered, emerald-hued gusher. The park was about an hour away, so it gave us a good chance to see some more of the countryside before we got to the falls. A few miles from the falls, we reach a steep hill with a curve. I'm in the back of the pack while Jennifer cruises in front of me. As we reach the sharp turn, Jennifer doesn't lean into the turn enough and begins to veer into the opposite lane. As the turn curves, Jennifer smashes dead into an Ambulence (ironic?) speeding opposite down the hill. She gets tossed head over heels while the bike's parts shatter into the air. The crash was bad, really bad, and Jennifer was hurt. But it didn't seem life threatening, and with the ambulence right there, it didn't take long to get her help.

It was very odd replaying this event in my head. It happened 15 feet in front of me, and this girl could have easily died in so may ways. I saw it all, couldn't do anything, yet felt very guilty. Tim and I were supposed to go to the falls yesterday, but our new friends Kate and Madison wanted to go with us, so we waited until today. We met Jennifer on a whim yesterday, and because she wanted to do what we were doing, she was almost killed... think about it.

At the emergency room here in Kanchanaburi you pretty much treat yourself. The doctor asks you what you want to do, the nurses don't do anything, and if you want so much as an ice pack, well, bring your own ice. Jennifer has a bump on her head the size of a tennis ball, and the nurses, cleaning all the cuts around it, aren't too concerned. Thankfully, we walked out with some cuts and scrapes, a bruised shoulder, and a lump on the head. It could have been alot worse. The police car trailing the ambulance that she hit could have been trailing a bit closer, which would have undoubtedly run her over. The rest of the day was spent tending to Jennifer, who was still in pretty bad shape, while also negotiating (yes, negotiating) the damages with the police station. Tim and I were going to head out tomorrow morning, but we'll hang around the next couple days until our biker bad ass gets back on her feet.

Gotta Love a Girl Who Can Kick Some Ass

Jang is one of the cooler Kanchanaburians I've met in this town. She manages a bar over here called 1 More Bar http://1morebar.com/. Better yet, she speaks perfect English, mixed with a funny pinch of a British accent because the owner is from England. A harmless little Thai girl, Jang says things like "Fuck off!" and "wanker!". After cooking me her specialty dish, she sits down for some drinks and haphazardly mentions she knows Muay Thai, Thailand's famous martial art. I can't help but to propose a challenge. Jang is a few inches shorter than I and maybe weighs 100 pounds. I figure if it came down to it, I'm 70% sure I could take her. I take my appropriate fighting stance while she takes hers. She tells me to raise my hands higher above my face, they're too low... this chick is serious. Quicker than a cat and more cunning than a cougar, she throws a round house kick to my face. I block it, of course, because I have exceptional kick-to-the-face blocking skills, but as soon as I block, she comes with a straight kick to the stomach. Jerry Maguire said, "You had me at hello", I said, "You had me at a kick to the face."

Jang took me to an authentic Thai night club. The cheesiest but coolest Thai cover band was rockin' out and the crowd was loving it. I was the only non-Thai in the club, but was well protected, rollin' deep with a girl who could straight up kick people apart. A night of Thai teenie bopping was just what I needed.

Country Folk

As sweet as Kanchanaburi's small town vibe is, the country side is much sweeter. Tim and I met a newcomer to the hostel, Jennifer, a girl from Vancouver who had been travelling for a few months, and the three of us rented bicycles (93 cents for the day) and took off for the hills. We rode through backroads, rice fields, and I also took them to the cave I saw a day earlier. We rode the entire day... rode until we got lost, stopped for food, and rode until we found our way again. It was a pretty great ride, venturing off the map and riding past hidden villages. My bike was pretty old and rusted and I kept falling off. Atleast I didn't pour water all over myself.

Chillin' with Boo

Walking home from a couple of temples, a Thai mother feeding her children on her doorstep called to me. She knew Tim from a day ago, saw me walking with Tim yesterday, so knew me as Tim's friend. Her name was Boo and she was cooking prawns and squid on the tiniest home made grill. She invited me to eat with her and the children and spoke great English. After lunch, we hopped in her car and she took me to see cave temples, underground houses of worship buried in deep caves. She also took me past a couple of monumental WWII cemeteries for the Allies. It was very cool, and Boo was very clutch.

Kanchanaburi

Two hours northwest of Bangkok is a small town called Kanchanaburi, which is mostly a jumping point to some of Thailand's more famous waterfalls. I took a very authentic Thai bus to get here, and it was fun being the only non-Thai person around. Kanchanaburi is also a historical town, playing a big part in WWII for the Japanese. Here, there is a famous railway where Allied POW's were brought by the thousands to build a railway linking Burma to Thailand across the Mae Klong River. In town there were some interesting museums recounting important events, including the bombing of the railway bridge by the Allies, destroying the link.

The town itself is extremely quiet and laidback, with a nice mix of tourists and weekend Thai visitors. It's a bit more country, and it doesn't have the same big city smell of Bangkok. Although quiet, there is a great stretch of restaraunts and eclectic bars with various open-air, beachy themes. But it wasn't long before I met some people at my hostel, where I am paying about $3.50 a night for a bed and a cold shower.

Tim is a fellow traveller from the Netherlands, who spent four months working on a farm in New Zealand. Graham is a stand up comic from England who hates You Tube... "All you see now a days on that thing is dogs jumping, cats laughing, and babies smoking cigarettes. Yeah, it's just not for me."

Thai Toilets... and Beyond

When I arrived in Kanchanaburi, I immediately had to use the bathroom. After I was finished, I saw that there was no way to flush the toilet. I'm searching high and low, pushing random spots on the toilet to see if maybe there is some weird way to flush it. All the while, there is a huge bucket of water with a bowl in it right next to me, and I have no idea what it is there for. I'm confused, baffled, and just weirded out. So, I ask someone what the hell is going on, and they tell me that a Thai toilet is one where you fill up the dish with water (hence the bucket), and pour it in the toilet. You do this a few times and everything flushes down. Voila!