Category: Thailand

Days 260 – 261: Bangkok – Part III

Our short trip to Cambodia was awesome – we if could do it all again, we’d stay there a lot longer and explore outside of Siem Reap. Unfortunately, the “Asia portion” of our trip was coming to an end, and we had to return to Bangkok to wrap up a few things before our long journey to South America.

Our flight back to Bangkok was short and easy, but as it was scheduled for the middle of the day, it limited our ability to do any sightseeing. Instead, we made plans to meet up with Pim – a former Best Cellars colleague of Lindsay’s – and have a little dinner party in our hotel suite! Even though traffic from the airport was practically gridlock, we had just enough time to run to the tailor for Igor’s final suit fitting and pick up some groceries before 7PM. We spent the rest of the evening catching up on the last *seven* years since we had seen Pim, and getting an insider’s introduction to the world of Muey Thai kickboxing.

 

Grabbing lunch and getting some work down in the Executive Lounge in the Siem Reap Airport

Farewell, Cambodia!

 

So glad to be back in the Oriental Residence in Bangkok! It feels so much like home, Lindsay decides to play hostess and invites a friend over for a little dinner party!

Our last day in Bangkok was busy with last-minute errands before our South America trip. We had decided to take a road trip to Patagonia when we go to Argentina, but when we looked for a rental car, we discovered the only 4×4 vehicles available were manual transmission. While flying down to Patagonia was an option, the route down to southern Argentina was supposed to be breathtakingly beautiful – we didn’t want to miss it!

How hard could it be to drive a stick shift anyways? Igor found an English-speaking driving school in Bangkok, and asked about lessons – the instructor suggested we could learn the basics in 4 hours – DONE! We took the metro to the end of the line and caught a taxi to the driving school (we were about an hour late for our appointment as we stopped to shop for shoes and got horribly lost due to Google Maps’ wildly inaccurate directions) – sure enough, after 3 hours of practicing in the school’s closed course, Igor was able to hold his own in Bangkok traffic! Sure, he stalled the engine about half a dozen times, but he recovered quick enough – bring it on Argentina!

 

Taking the Bangkok Metro, as traffic in the city is a nightmare

 

SHOES! We get distracted by a store selling second-hand dress shoes for men – only USD $3! *Exactly* what Igor needs for our upcoming cruise’s formal nights – now he can wear one of his new suits, and we don’t have to bother shipping the shoes back to the States

 

Driving around an obstacle course for about 4 hours, learning how to drive a stick shift

 

Our instructor was a “tiger-lady” teacher – she kept screaming at Igor in broken English, “Put clutch down ALL the way! You stall car! Put in first gear! You stall car again!” Basically, she showed Igor how to shift, drove around the course once, then switched seats and made him do it. After riding with us for about 15min, she gets out of the car, saying, “I go teach someone else now. You practice. Don’t drive too fast.”

So, back when we were in Krabi, Igor got two cuts on his right foot when he stepped on some sharp shells and rocks on Railay Beach. Two weeks later, the cuts still hadn’t healed and were looking pretty nasty. Igor was convinced they were infected (Lindsay told him he was overreacting, and that he just needed to stop suffectating the wounds with bandaids and let them air out so they could scab over). He looked up the cost of visiting the ship doctor when we get on our cruise next week – not cheap. If there *was* a problem with his foot, he figured it would be less expensive to visit a doctor in Bangkok, so after we picked up Igor’s completed suits and dress shirts, we walked a few blocks over to Bumrungrad International Hospital to see how long/expensive an appointment would be.

Guys…this hospital…was AMAZING. After this experience we can totally see why medical tourism is a thing, and (God forbid) if we ever get seriously sick, we are totally coming back to Thailand for treatment. Let’s start with the hospital building itself – the place looked more like an upscale hotel than a medical center. The receptionist in the lobby greeted us with a smile and told us we first needed to visit the 10^th floor to register as a new patient in order to get an estimate on wait time and price estimate. We were a little wary of the multi-step process, figuring this was going to be a huge waste of time, but it turned out to be extremely efficient – we took a queue number for the next representative (just like if we were at Zabar’s cheese counter!), and when two guys tried to cut in front of us in line, the hospital rep took no time telling the guys that we were next and they had to go take a number (I swear – Thailand is the anti-China!).

After Igor was registered (he got an ID bracelet and everything!), we went directly up to orthopedic surgery (yeah – totel overkill for a little cut on his foot, but the hospital rep said it would be cheaper to see a specialist as we would get charged for each doctor visited) – estimated wait time was 15min and price range was anywhere from USD $30 – USD $150, plus cost of medication. Just…take a second to let that sink in. Can you IMAGINE walking into a doctor’s office without an appointment or an emergency room in the USA and getting this kind of service? Oh, and the waiting room had complimentary bottled water, juice and tea.

By the time the doctor saw Igor, we got our bill, bandages and paid, we had been in the Bumrungrad hospital for just under and hour. The total cost of the visit was USD $60 (when we get home we’re going to try and get our travel insurance to reimburse us J). What was the diagnosis? Not infected – stop wearing bandaids and let it dry out and scab over. THANK YOU, DOCTOR LINDSAY.

 

Friendly, informed, and efficient service at the Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok

We returned to the Oriental Residence around 7PM for our final night in Thailand. While Lindsay repacked our bags and cooked our last quesadilla dinner, Igor ran out into the city one last time to pick up some cheap camera accessories for our upcoming dive trip in South America. Thailand – you have been the easiest, safest, and friendliest country in our southeast Asia adventures – we can’t wait to come back!

 

MBK Center – the mall that has it all! Igor finds all the odds and ends on his shopping list while Lindsay packs our bags and makes our last quesdailla & guac dinner

Day 255: The Golden Triangle

We finally reached the end of the trail in our journey of northern Thailand – the tripoint border of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos in a spot called the Golden Triangle.

The Golden Triangle is not only a geopolitical landmark, it is also home to one of the largest opium-producing regions in the world (only recently surpassed by Afghanistan in terms of drug production). We started out the day with a visit to Thailand’s “Hall of Opium” museum to learn about the history of the area – we spent a good two and a half hours there and time just flew by! (No, not because they were giving out free samples.)

 

Buffet breakfast in our mountain resort

 

Visiting the Opium Museum for a little “edu-tainment.” Helpful hint: we arrived right around 9AM when the museum opened…along with three school groups and a large group of orange robe-clad monks – when we left at noon, the place was deserted. It doesn’t pay to go to the museum early.

 

Rad school buses, kids! To be fair, even though we were sharing the museum with at least 500 school kids, they were pretty well behaved (even Thai children are polite!). Had we been in an American museum with the same number of ankle biters? Forget it! Understandably, the kids weren’t as interested in reading all the plaques as we were, so whenever a group came into the same room we were in, all we had to do was stand aside and wait for about 5min for the group to pass, then we would have the exhibit to ourselves again

 

The entrance to the Hall of Opium – photos weren’t technically allowed here, but the hallway was so spooky we just had to document it! The walls were covered in haunting sculptures – as if the victims of heroin abuse were trying to warn visitors about the dangers of drugs (Kids – Just Say NO!)

 

A small plot of poppies grows in the atrium of the museum entrance. Once we enter, we learn about the history of opium trade in Southeast Asia. Long story short: the British are drug dealers who get the Chinese so addicted to crack that they are able to swidle the Middle Kingdom out of ownership of Hong Kong for the next 99 years. Gangsta.

 

OK, I have no idea why there was a freaky wax statue of a little Chinese girl in the corridor of the museum – there was no explanatory plaque, she didn’t seem to be a part of the exhibit. Igor wanted Lindsay to sit next to her for a picture, but she refused as she was sure the thing would come to life at any second

 

Teddy bears and the soles of shoes – just some examples of the many ways people have tried to smuggle drugs from the Golden Triangle in the modern era

 

Contemplating words of wisdom and the effects of drugs in the museum’s “Hall of Reflection”

After learning about the historical Golden Triangle, we drove down the road to visit the physical Golden Triangle along the Mekong River. While Myanmar and Laos had a small scattering of buildings along the shore, both countries looked very sparsely inhabited compared to Thailand, which practically had a permanent street fair along the riverbank. In addition to the multiple Golden Triangle photo op locations, the border had several tour operators running boat rides along the river to skirt the edge of Myanmar and even step a toe into Laos – USD $30 and a one hour tour gets us an unofficial visit to another country (no stamp in the passport, tho).

 

The Sop Ruak – the dead center of the physical Golden Triangle, where three countries meet

 

The Golden Triangle is the meeting of three countries along the Mekong River: Thailand, Myanmar and Laos

 

While it won’t give us a stamp in our passports, when we find out we can take a 30min trip across the river to Laos, we can’t resist the temptation to visit yet another country! We bravely surrender our passports to the tour company (since we didn’t pay USD $100 for a Laotian tourist visa we are not allowed to go through Immigration and enter the country proper – we can only visit a tiny island in the Mekong River with a big souvenir market) – hey, this still counts!!!

 

Crossing the river into Laos

 

Our boat driver points out a Burmese casino upriver in Myanmar (the building with the big crown), before heading down to the Laotian island of Don Sao

 

WE IN LAOS! Just to prove it, we buy and mail a couple of postcards. Sadly, we only have two mailing addresses memorized, so y’all reading this probably didn’t get one.

 

We have about half an hour to window shop in the market in Laos before we have to return to our boat – we see a huge variety of violent-looking souvenirs (what’s with that?), and kick ourselves when we see the huge wine selection – we *just* bought a crappy USD $6 bottle of Thai “fruit wine” at the local 7-11, as we figured the 2PM-5PM ban on alcohol sales would leave us literally high & dry that night. Word of advice: if you are in the Golden Triangle, do your booze run in Laos! There is a bigger selection, better prices and no time restrictions!

 

Snake-marinated brandy – now that will put hair on your chest!

 

We stop in a local market on the way back to the hotel to see if we can find food to bring back to our room for dinner – while there is plenty of fresh seafood and veggies, there’s nothing we can prepare without a kitchen

 

Another awesome sunset in our remote mountain suite

 

When we inquire about the corkage fee for bringing our own cheap bottle of wine into the resort restaurant, we are appalled to find out it costs USD $9 just to open the screw-cap bottle! We want to boycott the restaurant purely on principle…but we also don’t want to drive anywhere for dinner. We compromise by ordering the CHEAPEST items on their room service menu – not only do we get to have our own beverages, we also avoid the 15min hike to the lobby – score!

Day 254: Chiang Rai

While there is probably A LOT to see and do in Chiang Rai, we had to limit ourselves to just the truly unique – and we found it with the White Temple! Wat Rong Khun – or as it is more commonly known, The White Temple – is a modern-day interpretation of a Thai Buddhist temple, designed by artist Ajarn Chalermchai Kositpipat. From a distance, the complex appeared to be a stunningly beautiful, glittering white palace. As we entered, however, the serenity was broken by scary monsters, haunting hands, and bizarre Hollywood movie characters. The temple is totally freaky, but it works! Fun visit.

 

The White Temple – while it maintains a lot of the fancy, pointy roofs and bling we have come to associate with Thai architecture, there are a lot of pop-culture and “modern art” elements throughout the complex

 

Lindsay walks over the “Bridge of Rebirth” to enter the main temple

 

Underneath the bridge is a writhing sea of outstretched hands and demonic faces, representing worldly greed. The idea is that you have pass over temptations in order to reach heaven

 

The “guardians of heaven” glare at the visitors entering the temple

 

Walking around the White Temple

 

A mix of conventional and nonconventional depictions of Buddhist ideology – cartoonish murals illustrating the evils of the modern world morph into more traditional images of serene, meditating Buddhas as visitors progress from the “real world” to the metaphorical “heaven”

 

Hundreds thousands of leaf-shaped pendants hang from the walls, walkways, and decorate tiered holders throughout the complex – each one contains a message or wish from a visitor (only 30 Bhat!)

 

We forgo the lucky leaves and toss coins in the lotus well instead – since your wish only comes true if you land your coin in the center lotus, we lose a good 30 Bhat regardless since we have terrible aim

 

Pop culture meets Buddhism: figurines from Disney & Marvel comics can be found all around the temple, along with a bottle of demon whiskey

 

Two huge Lost & Found cabinets sit within the Dhamma Hall – not sure if this is a genuine claim center or if it’s part of the art installation…I mean, the thing is full of iPhones, car keys and even bank cards (which the temple has kindly left the numbers and expiration date visible!)

About 26km down the road is the Baan Dam Museum (AKA – Black House), another arty, temple-like compound. If the White Temple is supposed to be “heaven,” then Black House is “Hell.” Designed by another Thai artist, Thawan Duchanee, the place is a creepy, gothic playland, with “temples” full of animal skulls, skins and furs. We wander around the complex for a little while, but the “message” here (if there even is one) wasn’t as engaging as the more optimistic White Temple (at least there seemed to be a path of redemption there!), but it was on the way to our hotel so, why not stop for a visit?

WARNING: one of the pictures below is NSFW!

 

Visiting the Black House – Baan Dam

 

THE ANGST. With his long hair and ponytail, Igor can totally pull off the tortured artist look!

 

The “Sanctuary Hall” of the Baan Dam Temple – with all the snake skins and bull horns, the place looks like Satan’s dining room

 

Well, that’s a big, black penis.

 

While the majority of Baan Dam is either frightening or intentionally grotesque, many of the chapels have gorgeous naga (snake) wood carvings – all made at the onsite studio. They are so intricately detailed, they actually remind us of the Maori carvings we saw in New Zealand

 

Since we are self-driving, we can access more remote hotels, hidden in the mountains of Chiang Rai. We end up with a GINORMOUS suite in a near-deserted resort. Seriously, the bathrooms in Thailand just keep getting bigger…

 

Enjoying the sunset from our balcony

 

Oh course, that great view comes with a price: our room is a good 15min uphill walk through the empty, dark resort to reach the restaurant. When we finally arrive, we perk up when we see it decked out for the holidays (they even have a wood-burning fireplace!)

 

Another problem with this resort is that you are a truly *cap* audience. Since we are a good 10KM down a one-lane mountain road away from the main street, going off site for dinner is not an option. We have our most expensive meal in Thailand to date: USD $50 – ouch!

Day 253: Chiang Dao

We had to backtrack through Chiang Mai as we continued our road trip up north, so we left the hotel early in order to make it to Chiang Dao by midday. While Chiang Dao is also a mountainous area, we were blessed with sunshine and nice weather instead of fog and clouds. The main draw in this area is the eponymous cave temple – a maze of stuffy, dark tunnels that meander through the mountain, filled with Buddha statues and small shrines. We had plenty of time to leisurely explore the Chiang Dao Cave, as well as a few other pretty mountain temples during the afternoon.

While our trip to Chiang Dao was a bit of a fly-by on our way north, we discovered that we would be missing out on a couple other cool attractions: sadly, we were a day late for the Tuesday Market, when the hill-tribe villagers come to town and sell produce and local handicrafts; there’s also a two-day trek to the summit of Doi Chiang Do. Oh well, next time!

 

We arrive in Chiang Dao right before noon, so we register at our hotel (where we get a generous plate of welcome fruit – yum!) before heading off to the temples

 

The entrance to Wat Tham Chiang Dao – a Buddhist cave-temple

 

Buddha statues fill the chambers of the cave temple. Certain rocks inside the cave are also wrapped with cloth and have offerings left nearby – locals believe spirits live there (an element the leftover Thai Animism religion – similar to the “spirit houses” that Thais build outside their homes)

 

The best part of the temple is the interior section of caves. Tourists are not allowed to explore this section solo – we had to hire a local guide for about USD $6 who carried a gas lantern to light to way. We felt very Indiana Jones, as there are many narrow tunnels where you have to crawl thorough on your hands and knees to pass into the next chamber!

 

Lindsay admires the odd and beautiful cave formations in Chiang Dao

 

After the guided section, we are allowed to walk ourselves into the colorfully lit cave of Tham Phra Non

 

At the very end of the Tham Phra Non cave is a reclining Buddha statue – unlike most we have seen up until now (where the Buddha is laying on his side, facing visiting devotees), this Buddha is lying flat on his back, facing the ceiling

 

Back outside in the sunshine, we see HUGE catfish swimming in the pond below – the temple sells fish food so visitors can feed the fish for good luck – as well as some colorful goldfish in the potted fountains

 

As we walk along the mountainside, we see lots of Buddha statues – some covered in gold, some covered in moss – hidden in the trees

 

The Chiang Dao Mountain has several gorgeous temples in the area

 

Before we left the hotel we asked for sight-seeing recommendations – Wat Tham Pha Plong is a quiet temple at the top of a steep 500-step staircase (which explains the lack of visitors!)

 

We were entertained by Buddhist quips during our climb up to the temple – some were motivational, some were more somber – kinda reminded us of the cynical “Commuter’s Lament” verses in the tunnel between Port Authority and Times Square

 

The scenic temple of Wat Tham Pha Plong, in Chiang Dao

 

The monks living in the temple follow a strict schedule set up by Pha Plong’s Late founder, renowned Thai monk Luang Pu Sim, including a 3AM daily wake-up call! No wonder the place is so quiet – people must be exhausted…

 

Igor admiring the scerey at Wat Tham Pha Plong

 

Our hotel is run by a German guy who married a Thai woman, so the menu has a few Western options, including a really tasty fish mousse. As we were chatting with the owner, we found out that his wife will give free “mini cooking lessons” to interested guests – all you have to do is come to dinner early and she’ll teach you how to cook whatever you ordered for dinner! What a shame we are only staying one night – Lindsay would have loved to take a Thai cooking class

Day 252: Doi Inthanon National Park

We decided to rent a car and self-drive our way around Northern Thailand, giving us way more freedom than day-trip options from Chiang Mai and tour buses, and the opportunity to see more of the countryside. We headed to the airport and picked up a car first thing in the morning and drove west toward Doi Inthanon, “The Roof of Thailand”.

While Doi Inthanon was puny in comparison to the mountains of Tibet and Nepal (even though it’s Thailand’s highest peak, it’s only 2,565m – Lhasa was 3,500), we did experience a big change in climate. While Chiang Mai was sunny and a bit steamy by mid-day, the top of Doi In was covered in a cold, foggy cloud (which kinda sucked as there was no view). We walked around the top as much as the poor weather would allow, then headed down below the clouds where it got significantly warmer for a few more short hikes, before driving off to our quirky accommodations for the night.

 

Igor walks around & inspects our rental car taking pictures of every scratch and ding before hopping in the front seat

 

Rolling up to Doi Inthanon National Park

 

Sirithan Waterfall – one of the misty mountain’s many waterfalls

 

The twin chedis atop Doi Inthanon – Naphamethanidon & Naphapholphumisiri were dedicated to the the King & Queen (respectively) on their 60^th birthdays

 

Each of the chedis have Buddha statues inside – white “good luck” strings are tied around the wrists of the Buddhas

 

Riding the escalators up to the chedi…getting major China flashbacks…

 

Brrr! It’s 14⁰C and Lindsay’s wearing sandals – it’s cold!

 

Too bad we left our couple of boots in Bangkok – there’s a 3KM nature trail through the cloud forest but we have to pass since we are not dressed appropriately

 

The Ang Ka boardwalk trail is more our speed for today – it’s a little 10min loop that is better protected from the wind, so not as chilly

 

Not sure if it’s the moss, the mist or the monk, but the cloud forest of Doi Inthanon feels a bit magical

 

Making an obligatory stop at the “highest point in Thailand” – since the mountain is almost constantly covered in clouds, the park set-up an indoor sun lamp with a faux view so visitors can still leave with a sunny picture – LOL!

 

Taking pictures at Huai Sai Lueang Waterfall

 

As we head back down the mountain, we pass a large farmer’s market and pull over to check out the tasty (and colorful!) selection

 

Fresh strawberries, a variety of pumpkins, and even Thai wine! (from mulberries tho, not grapes)

 

We skipped lunch, so we’re a little peckish (and still a little cold, too) – we never would thought a baked yam was snack food, but it totally hit the spot!

 

Igor buys a bags of clementines and just INHALES them

 

Lindsay braves a cold shower for a photo op at the next waterfall

 

We spot some baby ferns and a wicked looking beetle at the Siribhume Waterfall & Royal Garden

 

Our digs for the night: a USD $30 “Swiss Chalet”

 

The décor at the Touch Star Resort charmingly tacky

 

It’s our lucky night – a large group was having a celebration at the hotel restaurant and hired a musician, so we had some live music to go with our (huge!) meal

Day 251: Chiang Mai – Day 2

Surprisingly, we covered a lot of ground yesterday, so we only had one more must-see temple to visit. Wat Phra Singh is Chiang Mai’s most revered temple – a 14th century complex that is home to the “Lion Buddha” and a beautiful, gold-covered stupa. Afterwards, we didn’t have much on our itinerary, so we walked through town to the Suan Buak Hat public park and back to our hotel. Once again, the highlight of our day was food-related – we skipped lunch and went all out at a fantastic vegetarian-friendly restaurant for dinner. Hey Mama…WE GOT OUR GREENS!

 

Early morning visit to the Wat Phra Singh

 

Thai tourists make offerings and pray at the temple – then turn around and take a selfie in front of the Buddha! Interesting how Buddhist temple etiquette differs from Nepal to Thailand…

 

Gold, gold, gold! Shiny, gold stupa!

 

Quiet contemplation in front of the “Lion Buddha” at Wat Phra Singh

 

Are you talking to me?

 

Once again, THESE ARE NOT REAL MONKS – these wax figures are so realistic, it’s scary!

  

Suan Buak Hat – the only public park in Chiang Mai

 

Lindsay works off her evening Pad Thai on the park’s gym equipment

 

Hidden gems walking through the inner streets back to our hotel

 

Hiding from the afternoon heat in our cool hotel room

 

Venturing out at night for more of Chiang Mai’s culinary delights!

 

Veggie spring rolls, a potato salad-stuffed cucumber, and tofu stir fry with the most perfectly cooked egg EVER

Day 250: Chiang Mai – Day 1

Since we were only 10min away from the airport this morning, we were able to enjoy a leisurely morning before our flight to Chiang Mai – the capital of Northern Thailand. It’s a short flight, so we have plenty of time after we arrive to walk around the city and explore a few temples.

We absolutely LOVED Chiang Mai. We were staying in the “Old City” neighborhood of Chiang Mai, which had a great vibe – while the main drag was full of tourist-friendly restaurant and sparkling temples, the narrow inner streets were quiet and mellow.

The thing that really made us fall in love with Chiang Mai was the Sunday Night Market. Normally we aren’t that excited about markets (especially on this year long trip, since we can’t really buy any souvenirs and carry them with us for the next few months), and we would never had gone out of our way to visit this one. However, we got lucky and we just happened to arrive on a Sunday – what a happy accident! Easily the best street fair we’ve ever been to (so much better than the traffic-congesting crap we have in Manhattan!) – and THE FOOD. Seriously, Chiang Mai is worth its own trip simply for the DELICIOUS street food!

 

Our last moments at the beach before flying to Northern Thailand

 

Chillin’ at the Koh Samui Airport Lounge before take-off

 

Temple Time! Exploring Wat Chedi Luang where Igor contributes to the temple’s fund for dogs

 

As with other temples in Thailand, we must make sure we are dressed appropriately (Lindsay brought her own wrap this time!) – in addition to scantily clad tourists, looks like the temples are also experiencing a nuisance of wedding photoshoots

 

The Lak Meuang or “City Pillar” – raised by the first king in the 1200’s. Igor had to take pictures for Lindsay as women aren’t allowed in the shrine

 

Chicks are permitted in the main assembly hall tho, so Lindsay sits her butt down and takes her sweet time admiring Phra Chao Attarot (the giant golden Buddha), and all the bling decorating the room

 

Colorful “good luck” ribbons and crystal chandeliers make the Chedi Luang temple very pretty!

 

Twin dragons guard the main assembly hall

 

The ancient Lanna-style chedi of Wat Chedi Luang – built in the 14^th century, the top of the ruins was destroyed in the 16^th century by an earthquake along with the elephant statues surrounding the base. Only one of the original elephants remains, recently joined by four replicas as part of a UNESCO restoration project

 

More restoration work – before and after on the naga (snake-monster) stairways at the base of the chedi

 

So several of the temples in Chiang Mai have wax statues of renowned monks sitting in the pray halls, which really freaked us out at first, as we thought they were real people. The calming sight of the fat Buddha (his belly is full of wisdom!) restores our nerves

 

Next door to Wat Chedi Luang, we visit the smaller Wat Phan Tao, where a beautiful Buddha sits inside a teak cathedral, with more good luck ribbons fluttering nearby

 

As we walk through town we spot a postal box – time to send our tropical Christmas cards!

 

Just by chance, we arrive in Chiang Mai on Sunday – the day of their famous Night Market! We head out into the street just as the sun begins to set

 

The market is packed with interesting souvenirs – some a bit odd (WHY would someone want plastic poo?!?), but most are beautiful! We watch a craftswoman hand-carve some decorative soap – it’s too pretty, I’d never want to use it!

 

Lovely homewares – utilitarian and decorative bowls

 

Awesome woodcarvings – those dragons are killer, and those haunting ashtrays are to die for!

 

So many colorful string lights and lanterns!

 

A BB gun shooting range adds to the carnival atmosphere – Lindsay stops to shoot off some steam

 

Igor and his bad-ass ponytail take up Lindsay’s shoot-off challenge!

 

As we walk through the streets we start to get hungry – little wonder as the place is packed with food stalls

 

Chiang Mai is particularly famous for its street food – LOOK AT ALL THE NOMS

 

Best fresh spring rolls I’ve ever had – SO GOOD

 

It’s literally a MOUNTAIN OF PAD THAI

 

Sorry Pam Real Thai – Igor has a new favorite pad thai chef!

 

A symphony under the crescent moon just outside the Thapae Gate

 

The Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market – best street fair ever!

Day 249: Journey to Koh Samui

Just as Lindsay was falling asleep the night before she could hear a wicked thunderstorm roll into Koh Tao. When we got up in the morning, the rain was still coming down pretty hard. Oh well! Now that we were done with our scuba course, we could just sit back and enjoy our room on our last day – in fact, Lindsay was secretly glad that the rain would prohibit us from going out and “doing stuff.” As she sipped her breakfast coffee she started perusing the vast list of pre-programed movies on the hotel hard drive to see what cinematic masterpieces we would watch from our king-sized bed.

Just after 8AM, we got a call from Be, one of the hotel managers, with *terrible* news: because of the storm, the 6AM ferry we were planning to take the next morning was cancelled! Since our fight out of Koh Samui was at 10AM, we would have to leave The Place today in order to make it to the airport in time. BOO!!!!!

Instead of lazing around in the lap of luxury, we spent the rest of our morning packing up our bags and trying to salvage the rest of the groceries we had picked up the day before (although Lindsay made a POINT to jump in our pool one last time!). We popped a few seasickness tablets before boarding the Lomprayah high-speed ferry boat (the waves were massive – even we were at risk blowing chunks on these waters). We stayed below deck near the center of the boat where the wasn’t too bad – *we* kept everything down during the journey, although once again we were surrounded by barfing travelers.

After leaving The Place so early, *any* hotel was bound to be a massive disappointment, so we booked the cheapest and closest resort near the ferry terminal. Not a bad place to stay at all, just a disappointing alternative to our original plans.

 

Making a half-dozen PB&J sandwiches and packing up all the leftover food we had bought for the next two days

 

We are so bummed that we have to leave our love nest a day early! We should be swimming naked in our private plunge pool, not sitting in a violently pitching ferry boat next to puking passengers

 

Well, it’s no “The Place,” but the Saboey Resort is a 5min walk from the Bangrak Pier so we quickly find shelter from the storm. Plus, welcome fruit is always nice!

 

A gourmet dinner of sandwiches, chips and chocolate chip cookies to pair with our last bottle of grocery-store wine

Days 247 – 248: Koh Tao

Koh Tao is one of the top diving destinations in Thailand – not just because of the variety of reefs near the island and abundant sea life (apparently whale sharks had been spotted in the area within the last week!), but also because it’s a great place to learn – there are tons of beginner-friendly and advanced challenges to cut your diving teeth on. Back in June, we were disappointed when our lack of advanced certification made us miss out on diving with eagle rays in Indonesia, so we decided to take the opportunity to get our credentials for deep diving before we headed to South America, where hopefully we’ll have a chance to explore the Galapagos!

Koh Tao has a 10-month high season without over 300 days of sunshine per year. Unfortunately for us, Oct/Nov is their rainy season so the water was choppy and visibility was utter crap. But we walked away with our SSI Advanced Adventure (equivalent to PADI AOW), so time well spent. When we weren’t in the water, we were lounging around in our awesome honeymoon suite!

 

We spend the next 2 days completing an SSI Advanced Adventurer course with Roctopus Dive – Snowy, one of the dive-shop dogs – greets us when we show up in the morning

 

After a briefing with our dive master we jump on the boat and head out into the choppy surf

 

Our forth dive site is a wreck: the HTMS Sattakut – a former US Navy ship that was sold to the Thais, and then purposefully sunk after it was decommissioned in 2011. At 30m, this is the deepest dive we’ve been on yet!

 

Sadly, we have pretty poor visibility during our wreck dive

 

Wreck diving in Koh Tao

 

We swim around and search of sealife, but don’t see much today except for a few small fish and some Christmas-tree worms

 

We clock in 30min @ 30m, then ascend to the surface (dutifully making our 3min safety stop at 5m, of course)

 

After our night-dive that evening, we are certified advanced divers!

 

Between our morning dives and our night dive, we have the afternoon free, so we enjoy some homemade tuna salad by the pool (did…did I mention it’s our own private pool?)