From the Muddy Banks of the Mekong...

Happy Easter from Luang Prabang!

It's the last day of March and my Bracket is absolutely demolished and I'm missing Opening Day for the first time in my life.

In my defense, it isn't like I was really following College Basketball this year! (not that it would've mattered)

Nevertheless, the two-day trip down the Mekong was worth missing my favorite sporting events of the year, even if it was a pretty uneventful trip.   And, I can't say the Yanks are looking much better than my bracket at the moment, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that I'll get to see a meaningful game once I make it fully around the globe (and that they beat the Sox tomorrow). 

Here's some pics of the Mekong.  It was beautiful, but as I said in the last post it is pretty gray and hazy given the time of year.  It was nice to travel with two of the folks I met on the Gibbon Experience too. Definitely made it a smoother journey. 

The View from Pakbeng

The pictures won't do it proper justice.  That said, it is the dry season and it was cool to see the water so low.  It gives a better sense of the river bed and the silt deposits that the locals use to plant crops at this time of year.  (I think I'm liking the low water periods now after having experienced the same at Victoria Falls.  It is just so much cooler when you can see what the water hides.)

It was as uneventful as a long river trip can be, but the boat was equipped with minivan bench seats for comfort (though the fact that they aren't bolted down leads to some amusing moments) on the 16 hours of total river time, and the occasional town/group of huts with children playing out front popped up to break up the Mountains and River.  And, even better, it gave me time to read a couple books and get further into the behemoth that is Nixonland.   

Villages are sometimes up on the bluffs... 

And other times right on the banks of the river...

The Restaurant we ate dinner at.  The Wife was a great cook!  The translations of food and the welcoming signs always give me a good chuckle.  I think I have seen Spaghetti spelled 15 different ways on this trip so far.  I really want to know what is no longer being offered though...

Sunset over the Mekong (sorta)...

The locals were panning for something, but I've yet to figure out just what it is yet.  Stay tuned.

That's all for now.  I'll be in LPB (ha!) for the next couple days seeing what's good and figuring out how to get to Vietnam now that I have to fly there vs. the planned border crossing by land.  Changes the plans a bit, but should be a thrilling time figuring it all out.

With a Buzz in our Ears, We Zip Endlessly...

The Jungle - Bokeo Province - Northern Laos

A zipping video to really give a flavor for the experience - WATCH IT!

Sadly, it is the dry season and all the farmers are doing the yearly slash and burn of the fields, so the atmosphere in Northern Thailand and Laos has been quite gray/hazy vs. what I had imagined it would look like.

Undeterred, I've just spent the last two days trekking and zipping through the jungles of Northern Laos.   And, despite the heat, it was incredible.    Massive trees, groves of bamboo, little critters running around all over the place and no sounds other than those of the wind and the jungle.  Oh, and ziplines.  Everywhere...

I was on the "Gibbon Experience".  And, even though we didn't see anything other than squirrels (*yawn*), lizards and spiders the size of a salad plate, it was pretty amazing.

You trek into the jungle for a few hours, eventually hitting a network of ziplines that will take you to your treehouse.  

This is where you sleep and eat your meals, while zipping around the jungle in your spare time.  The best part about the treehouse though was the outdoor shower.

View from the Shower

The lines are anywhere from 100 - 700ms long and from 25m to 150ms above the ground.

I've got to say popping out of the jungle on a wire suspended 500 feet in the air is quite the experience.

It wasn't all fun and games (ok, it mainly was).  The program is a conservation effort, so all proceeds go to the cause of protecting the jungle and the Gibbons.  But, we also had an conversational English lesson with our Lao (by the way, it is pronounced La-ow - not La-owse) guides and then they taught us some Lao in return.  

One of our guides just started speaking English less than a year ago and I was quite impressed how far he had come.  I guess if the tables were turned, and speaking Lao meant I got a better job than lugging wood/food/etc into the jungle several hours, then I'd learn Lao pretty darn quick too!

Our Trekking Crew! 

Pageviews are down due to my lack of posting the last couple of weeks, but hopefully this brings you back (Sorry for the lack of Gibbons!) and I can post more as I travel down the Mekong.

This is as close to a Gibbon as I can get.  Peter Gibbons, in a meeting with "the Bobs".

Right now, I'm writing from a guesthouse on the banks of the Mekong and I can see Thailand from here.

Say "HI" to Thailand (even with the gloomy sky)!

Tomorrow, I'll take the "slow boat" towards Luang Prabang and check in again from there.  Hopefully...

.0059 Leagues Under the Sea

“The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides. The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the Living Infinite. ” 

- Jules Verne

Koh Tao, Thailand - 

Busy times, so apologies for the long delay between posts (especially you, Billy).  I've been "under water".

No, for real.

I've been Scuba Diving to be exact, and it is AWESOME! (Despite the fact that I've spent the last several days doing nothing but reading several manuals, sitting in a classroom, doing homework and taking tests - both written and practical.  I'm exhausted, but it has been a great time)

I've swum with a Sea Turtle, through fields of anemones and in massive schools of Barracuda, Trevally and Queenfish.  I've seen Marlin and Nemo, a Giant Grouper the size of a Couch, hundreds of Angel and Butterfly Fish, as well as many more.   I've also dived at night. Below the surface in total darkness with nothing but a flashlight has to be one of the coolest things I've ever done.  And, I've now been .0059 leagues (32.6 meters / 107 feet) under the sea.

Pink Anemonefish (in the same family as Clownfish)

From 0 to 17 dives in a week or so will net you a pretty big haul of underwater creatures and adventures.   Add to that three certifications, including Rescue Diver (what can I say, my inner lifeguard wouldn't allow me to not get it) and I'm 1/3 of the way to being a Divemaster!  Surely if I had more time I would stay to do that course, but alas it is time to move on.

Before I left, I did manage to get a few dives in that didn't include passing some sort of underwater quiz or test (some more intense than others - particularly in the Rescue Course).  They were my favorite, because I could just be in the weird environment you enter once you descend below the surface.  Others say it must be what going into space must feel like.

I can concur it is like entering universe.  Stuff down there just doesn't look like what you see on the surface.  And now that I know what I've been missing, I can't imagine being above sea level for too long.

Longfin Bannerfish, with lots of suspended particles in the frame...

Not sure, maybe a type of Snapper?

Not sure on this one either...

Can you spot the Grouper?

Seriously guys and girls, I don't know what took me so long to do this.  Maybe it is because no one told me how awesome it was.  Maybe it was just the right time and place.  Either way, consider this your notice!

Blue Ringed Angelfish - The color underwater is so much brighter, but I did what I could with the camera I had.

Batfish - we saw ones 3x this size at Sail Rock

Butterflyfish

As you may know, the reefs may not be around forever as an effect of global warming and ocean acidification.  So, if you've ever wondered what life is like under the sea.  Get going,  you'll never regret or forget it!  It may not be around forever.

One more practical in the water this afternoon and a final exam are all that separates me from being a certified Rescue Diver.  Then, two fun dives tomorrow morning to wind it all down before heading up to Chiang Rai to cross over into Laos on the 28th (hopefully). 

So, almost time to say goodbye to Thailand.  But I'll enjoy the last couple of days while I can...

My sweet Seafro at a post dive debrief.  Not a bad place to learn all that I did wrong...

Happy St. Paddy's, You Guys...

It's not quite a Guinness, but it had green on the label and cost less than $2.  So, Chiggity Chang it is.

SLÁINTE!

Oh, Phi Phi

Well, Megan has shoved off back to the states (the leap is not one of excitement over the fact, just a fun memory of what was...).  Which means four things:

1. Thailand’s fruit can come out of hiding.  (Seriously, I’ve never seen anyone eat so much fruit.)
2. I won’t be given a flat tire every 17.3 seconds when walking.  (Good thing Raul at the Upper West Side EMS recommend the sturdy Chaco flip-flop for the trip.  They survived their toughest test so far!)
3. This Cat is still horribly obese:

And fourth, I’m solo again…

It’s always better with a Partner in Crime and Megan was up to the task.  We had a helluva Thailand adventure. 

Before Megan had to go back to reality, we spent the last couple days in Koh Phi Phi.  In addition to a healthy dose of (more) relaxation, we did take a boat around the area in search of Nemo and to hang out in the bays of Phi Phi Leh.  As impressive as the pictures may be, the Limestone cliffs and hidden bays are even more amazing up close in a tiny boat.

The GoPro could use a bit better underwater quality, but you'll get the idea that there were a TON of fish for us to see and follow around.  No Nemo though, just some Gills and Dorys. 

Phi Phi was hit pretty hard in the Tsunami of ’04, but there were few signs of that 9 years later.  A few hotels (including ours) are still building, but Ton Sai village (the main town) is fully open to service the glut of tourists pouring off the ferries daily.   

Luckily, we stayed out of the fray on Long Beach with the best views of my trip so far!

 The view from the Lanai

But, like most good things, it had to come to an end. 

Megs headed for Bangkok to fly home and I headed West to Koh Tao to get my SCUBA certification.  I’ll be here for the next 6 days going through a series of class days and qualification dives.

I also be sorting out what I’m doing between the end of the course and when my Mom comes to let her freak flag fly with me in Vietnam and Cambodia. 

Those interim plans are small peanuts compared to Big Judy in Asia. 

Pray for us all…

Just kidding.  Looking forward to it, Mom.

Bruce Willis Says...

So, I saw Die Hard 5 while I was in Bangkok and almost forgot about this gem. 

Would never be allowed in the US, but I was happy I brought my camera. 

Oh, and in case you ever go to the movies here, make sure you stand up for the pre-movie ceremony/film that honors the monarchy.  People will remind you what you're supposed to do, but it is better to avoid the stares...

Last, but not least, let's retire Lt. McClane.  Please.  

While still effective in bullying you into washing your hands, the story was played out after Jesus (I mean, Zeus) and McClane saved NY...

Railay, Thailand

I know beach/paradise shots are always real popular.  Particularly on Mondays....

But, well, this has to be one of the best beaches I've ever been to.   (Sorry Lil Rhodie!)

You can only get here by boat:

And the sunsets are pretty killer:

Damn!

We've been relaxing the couple of days here, and will get into the snorkel and kayak scene at the next stop of Koh Phi Phi, but we did take time to hike to a hidden lagoon yesterday.

Hard to describe, and the pictures don't really do it justice, but it was incredible.  The limestone rock faces that you see shoot up a couple hundred feet on every side, with the tidal pool at the bottom.   There are Stalactites or Flowstones (I'm not a geologist, so I'm not sure exactly what they are) flowing down the sides of the rocks.  The camera got a little fritzy due to an emergence of Sweaty Parker, so this is the best I can do.

I'm walking around like a sore cowboy today

because of my Elephant riding yesterday, but I digress...

I was able to recapture some of the photos that I stupidly deleted from my camera and just wanted to share the slice of Bangkok, the Floating Market Life and the Wats of Chiang Mai.  

It was your standard sight-seeing mission.  The Buddhist Temples, called Wats for those who don't know, here are much more ornate and colorful than their counterparts that I saw in India or Sri Lanka.  Now, I need to look into why!

The Grand Palace

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho

Temple of the Dawn

A Wat in Chiang Mai. 

Doi Suthep in the hills above Chiang Mai

And they all have the oddest array of Statue-as-Guards.

 I posted some more to the Tumblr if you want to check them out!

After exploring Bangkok's sites, we went out to the Floating Market.

While it is definitely a tourist trap, it was cool to imagine what life was like on the canals years ago.  And the highlight, for me at least (Megan reluctantly ate a few bites), was to eat food purchased from canoe to canoe.   We had a couple delicious dishes before we ventured back to the city.   Was nice to escape the city for a few hours to see a different slice of life!

I know loads of people who have been here before, so it has been cool to see what all the fuss is about.  We definitely enjoyed wandering around, eating in the markets/street stalls (occasionally).  But, eventually we got Wat'd out, and just wandered.  Chiang Mai a much more laid back version of that than in Bangkok.

Based on the amount of people I know who have been here before, I should've realized that we'd run into a fair amount of Americans.  But, I'm still surprised that it has been quite so many.  (Roughly 15-20 of them vs. the 2 or 3 I had met on the trip to date (RVCV notwithstanding).  It's weird some times.

In other news, we made it Railay this afternoon and went swimming under the Limestone outcroppings.  More Pictures to follow, it's pretty stunning!