Monday, September 11, 2006
Dearest Blog Readers,
I was alway at the island for a few days, and then the Blogger login did not work until just now. I think the reason it did not work until right now is because I would have been very negative about Bangkok. Haha. Anyways, I am eating food again, and am not sick anymore, so I am very positive again. Sort of. Okay, story time. This is crazy long, so if you only read one part, read the Renting MOTORCYCLES! So fun! Yes, drove my first motorcycle!
Topic 1) Getting to far away island... Ko Chang:
Skytrain
We left at 11pm to go to island, and it was pouring rain in Bangkok. We were leaving to go, and it was rain, rain, rain. So, we go to skytrain, me and 5 other people, and then get to the far away skytrain, which is suppose to be one block from bus station.
Getting to Bus Station
The girls (Michelle, Julia, and I) start running/walking to bus station and the boys hide out at skytrain station. We run and run and realize we are gonig the wrong way. We are, literally, up to our shins in putrid Bangkok water, with the Thai's watching us from their hide out spots under the store awnings. We try to flag a cab, slipping and sliding all over the road, but, of course, no Thai's want any soaking wet girls (and I am talking about soaking wet) in their cabs.
Bus
We finally get one, and realize we are dripping wet. Our clothes are dripping wet. Boys are no where to be found. Cab turns around, brings us to the bus station. We get tickets, thinking we have until midnight to get our bus, and wait for the boys. The ticket lady starts raising her voice, and pointing to bus terminal, we realize that bus goes now, at 11:30pm. We run to bus terminal, calling the byos on the cellphone, to tell them to hurry up, and our backpacks get thrown into bus compartments, and we keep telling them that more people are coming. THe bus waits 2 minutes, and then pulls out of the station, with our bags on it. I begin yelling, jump on the moving bus, with Michelle and Julia close behind. We get in the seats, realize that we went to the frist bus that was loading and we did not even know it was going to Trat or not. We ask the guy next to us, in our dripping wet sweaters, he mumbles something that sort of sounded like Trat. We realize there is not much to do but go to sleep, and, apparently, there is another bus that goes at midnight, which the boys are going to catch. We ride the 5 hours, soaking wet, hungry, without the boys and get to Trat, at 5am or so. We get off, in the middle of a road, next to a sign saying 'bus,' with a market next to it, where you can pee for 1bht in the most god awful washrooms, the boys call minutes later to tell us they are at the bus station. We finally figure out, after wandering the streets of Trat that the bus station is about 2km away, and it will cost us 15bht each to get there. Anyways, we go bus station, the boys are there, all buddy buddy with the Thai drivers, and have managed to get food from teh Thai drivers.
Getting to the ferry
We need, now, to go to the ferries. Okay, so this should be easy, you just arrive at a price and go there. They said it would be 50bht to go about 15km to the ferry terminal. This sounded reasonable, and Michelle and I clammer in the back of sketchy truck with seats built into the side. We wait. APparently, the Europeans we are with have decided that 50bht is not appropriate, and are demanding the 25bht that the travel guide says it should be. Well, realizing that we are in the middle of nowhere, literally, with only 5 trucks to take us where we need to go (other than take a 15km hike) and those drivers are all sitting together, we do not have a good chance of negoiating a different price. Some people start yelling at the Thai's, and then the Thai's start yelling back (seriously, I have never even heard of a Thai yelling, ever.) Finally I almost lose it and get out of truck to explain the situation to the Europeans very calmly, telling them to get in the truck (you can't negoiate (through yelling) with a monopoly, using a German guidebook about Thailand, at 6am) and we all get in the truck, paid the 50bht (UPFRONT! because the Thai's were so pissed off.) Anyways, we are now in the back of a truck of a very (understandbly) pissed off Thai, who then drives us down the road, pulls over, tells us to get in another truck, and then we finally arrive at some random pier. The people I am with are still SO pissed off, and I do not even try to explain how rude and awful it is to ever raise your voice in Thailand, and how future tourists might be given shit now because we (I include myself, even though I did not raise my voice or anything) have been yelling at people.
Finding the right ferry
Anyways, random pier. Yes, random pier. We can see two other piers off in the distance. Just which one is the right pier with cheap ride? First place offers us 2 ways for 140bht, if we go at 9am. They are still so upset about being 'ripped off' that we say no to this, walking down another pier (because the guide book says it should only be 60bht.) We walk down whole pier with our bags, get to the end to be told 160bht one way. Of course, this is like triple what we were offered before, so we walk back down pier to other place. New place now tells us 140bht and we could go right away. We are still soaking wet, starving, exhausted, etc, etc. SHe says 140bht for one way, and we go right away. 60bht to wait until 9am. So, whatever, everyone is so cranky, we have to talk about this for like 10minutes, until we finally agree. We get put in the back of a pick-up truck (this time with no benches, we are sitting on the ground) and go like 110km/hour down this back road, get to ferry pier that was the 3rd one that we had originally seen. We miss the ferry for 7am, and are told "sorry, have to wait until 8am." Riiight, so we wait, there is problems with the tickets, but they sort it out. We get a call from our friends bcak in Bangkok who say we will get rain for the next three days in Ko Chang. I am trying to be so postive, and happy, and play (my favortie) the compliment game (Europeans do not compliment eachother, I have learned since) and Michelle and I sang songs. No one else was positive, in fact, everyone is positively furious.
Ferry
Anywasy, we go on ferry for an hour, we get to Ko CHang, on the weirdest ferry ever. Stray dogs get on and just ride it. And it is all open, (with railings, thankfully) and has a food stall you have to barter at.
Arriving at Koh Chang
It is now 9:00am. At this point everyone just agreed to pay the truck how much it cost to go to White Sands Beach, on Koh Chang. We ride with 2 Thais (one of which lives in America now) and they explain the "Thai price" and the "Farang price." (Farang=me.) And, as we all know, prices have gone up in Thailand due to excessive toursim. So, anyways, we get some helpful hints of them, and then we get to White Sands Beach, which is beautiful! SO beautiful! On this amazing island, that you have to drive up and down this twisty-turny roads to get to the tourist part. It is so amazingly beautiful, and we find a semi-decent place to stay, with a flushing toliet (whooo hoo!)
White Sands Beach
We play in the sand all morning, making the best sandcastles you ever did see, playing volleyball in the ocean, and hanging around. Leaving all 6 of us with the worst sunburns you have ever seen. Oh yes. Thankful I was wearing a one piece suit, otherwise I would have been burnt all the way through.
Renting MOTORCYCLES
Yes!!! I know! I drove my very own motorcycles. I did think, a couple times, what would my father and my grandparents think about this choice? Um, well, considering we were on mountain roads, in the middle of a foreign coutnry, with shoody brakes, illfitting helmets, with no prior experience... Uh yah. Hah. So I got on my first motorbike ever, and was practically crying the first 2km, because I felt so scared, and I was all by myself. Once we stopped for the first time for gas, I insisted that I not be last in the group, as I was terrified I would bail, and be left to die on the side of the raod all by myself. As we contineud on, and got into the mountain parts, I, again, was almost crying, because my brakes, truly, did not work properly. You had to put your legs out to stop. Everyone was having the same experince. I was kind of wishing that I did what Julia did, which was to go on the back of one of the boy's bikes. HOwever, that said, I was so happy that I could control it myself. I would rather have my inexperience than someone elses. Anyways, off we went, we were out for hours, with no crazy mishaps. I will not tell you that we were driving, at some points, over 110km/h. Anyways, once I pretend to ignore all the consequnces that could happen as a result of this decisions, I really enjoyed myself. We stayed out so long that it started to get dark, and rainy, and we were on the other part of the island. Hhaa, so, racing for the hotel, we managed to go through a checkstop with police with guns, and I was more than a little scared. HOwever, we were just waved through, after having to stop for the line up. Yes, at this point, I did think, what would the grandparents think? We made it home alive, had a nice dinner on the oceanside, with a nice full moon, and tehn went to the bar next door for some sit down drinks on teh beach, and since that night I have decided I will not drink until I get back to Canada. Anyawys, yes, it was grand fun, that day.
The rest of the trip
Michelle, Julia and I left the group the next morning, and went to a different village, with this market nad hotel that are raised above the ocean. You sleep over the ocean! We had the most beautiful hotel, which was build as a pier, with rooms above the water. We ate and it was great, until we all got sick with teh worst flu of the entire world.
Going Back Home
We went back to Bangkok on Saturday, all ill and all sick. We got back for 100 bht to ferry, 60bht on ferry (hahah), and then bus ride. So like a fraction of the price. Anyways, we were all sick! Some worse then others, but all sick nonetheless. THe worst didn't hit me until Saturday night, when I spend the whole night on the couch/bathroom moaning about hating life, and swearing to leave this god awful country as soon as possible. Haha. I just ate solid food for the first time this morning (Monday), after sleeping all of Sunday (until 6pm!) I made it class this morning, and had some bread at our break (otherwise, after not having food for really 2 days, I was a basketcase of exhaustion, and wanted to kill my prof who was like "Stefanie, I am not sure, but have you lost weight?!" "Um, yes, not eating all weekend will do that do you, jackass." Anyways, I just ate some pancakes (the most un-Thai food I could find, and it seems to be okay. So far. Everything hurts, especially my neck and head. BUt that will go away after a nice Thai massage and whatnot. Heheheheh. And I found some whole wheat bread in the 7-Eleven today (phew! They love their 7-Eleven's, thankful for that!) and I will eat toast and PB for the rest of my life here, as the food makes me sick and makes me want to die. Hehe. I realized this is first tiem I have thrown up from being sick since I was probably 12 or something. Seriously. Insane. Anyawys, yes, life will get back to normal. I have my uniform on, and I look so pretty. Haha. Right.
Anyways, Michelle is driving me nuts, with her immense health knowledge at this point. Hhaha. Michelle is feeling really strong because she bought gum that says to have 31% of your daily intake of calcium. It tells us this in broken English, so obviously this is correct. It also says "milk dervied." As far as I know, calcium can only be absorbed after the stomach, so this is a mystery to me. Perhaps we need to swallow the gum? Funny how 1 tiny piece of gum can have more calicum then 8 ounces of milk. It does say that it is 'milk derived' though. Perhaps it is what the astronauts eat... just chew gum all day. Michelle must be correct.
And nap time. (Pray for headache to disappear.)
Oooh and Cracker Banana Pants has loved his puppysitter so much, that he is staying there again tonight. He lived down the street, for the past weekend, with this nice lady that has two little yappy type dogs, that I can't figure out what breed they are. Anyways, she took Crackers for the weekend, and I went to visit him today (now that I am better) and he looks SO happy. He has little puppy friends, a little yard, and she was cuddling him. He is going to stay tonight too, and then we will see. I brought him tasty treats, he was so happy to see me. He went out with me for a bit, but he might have a new permanant family, even though I will always be his mother, indeed. (This is good, as Canada DOES NOT let in little Thai dogs. No way, no how. It was confirmed.)
Annnyways, that is the weekend. Yes, indeed. ¶ 2:43 PM
I was alway at the island for a few days, and then the Blogger login did not work until just now. I think the reason it did not work until right now is because I would have been very negative about Bangkok. Haha. Anyways, I am eating food again, and am not sick anymore, so I am very positive again. Sort of. Okay, story time. This is crazy long, so if you only read one part, read the Renting MOTORCYCLES! So fun! Yes, drove my first motorcycle!
Topic 1) Getting to far away island... Ko Chang:
Skytrain
We left at 11pm to go to island, and it was pouring rain in Bangkok. We were leaving to go, and it was rain, rain, rain. So, we go to skytrain, me and 5 other people, and then get to the far away skytrain, which is suppose to be one block from bus station.
Getting to Bus Station
The girls (Michelle, Julia, and I) start running/walking to bus station and the boys hide out at skytrain station. We run and run and realize we are gonig the wrong way. We are, literally, up to our shins in putrid Bangkok water, with the Thai's watching us from their hide out spots under the store awnings. We try to flag a cab, slipping and sliding all over the road, but, of course, no Thai's want any soaking wet girls (and I am talking about soaking wet) in their cabs.
Bus
We finally get one, and realize we are dripping wet. Our clothes are dripping wet. Boys are no where to be found. Cab turns around, brings us to the bus station. We get tickets, thinking we have until midnight to get our bus, and wait for the boys. The ticket lady starts raising her voice, and pointing to bus terminal, we realize that bus goes now, at 11:30pm. We run to bus terminal, calling the byos on the cellphone, to tell them to hurry up, and our backpacks get thrown into bus compartments, and we keep telling them that more people are coming. THe bus waits 2 minutes, and then pulls out of the station, with our bags on it. I begin yelling, jump on the moving bus, with Michelle and Julia close behind. We get in the seats, realize that we went to the frist bus that was loading and we did not even know it was going to Trat or not. We ask the guy next to us, in our dripping wet sweaters, he mumbles something that sort of sounded like Trat. We realize there is not much to do but go to sleep, and, apparently, there is another bus that goes at midnight, which the boys are going to catch. We ride the 5 hours, soaking wet, hungry, without the boys and get to Trat, at 5am or so. We get off, in the middle of a road, next to a sign saying 'bus,' with a market next to it, where you can pee for 1bht in the most god awful washrooms, the boys call minutes later to tell us they are at the bus station. We finally figure out, after wandering the streets of Trat that the bus station is about 2km away, and it will cost us 15bht each to get there. Anyways, we go bus station, the boys are there, all buddy buddy with the Thai drivers, and have managed to get food from teh Thai drivers.
Getting to the ferry
We need, now, to go to the ferries. Okay, so this should be easy, you just arrive at a price and go there. They said it would be 50bht to go about 15km to the ferry terminal. This sounded reasonable, and Michelle and I clammer in the back of sketchy truck with seats built into the side. We wait. APparently, the Europeans we are with have decided that 50bht is not appropriate, and are demanding the 25bht that the travel guide says it should be. Well, realizing that we are in the middle of nowhere, literally, with only 5 trucks to take us where we need to go (other than take a 15km hike) and those drivers are all sitting together, we do not have a good chance of negoiating a different price. Some people start yelling at the Thai's, and then the Thai's start yelling back (seriously, I have never even heard of a Thai yelling, ever.) Finally I almost lose it and get out of truck to explain the situation to the Europeans very calmly, telling them to get in the truck (you can't negoiate (through yelling) with a monopoly, using a German guidebook about Thailand, at 6am) and we all get in the truck, paid the 50bht (UPFRONT! because the Thai's were so pissed off.) Anyways, we are now in the back of a truck of a very (understandbly) pissed off Thai, who then drives us down the road, pulls over, tells us to get in another truck, and then we finally arrive at some random pier. The people I am with are still SO pissed off, and I do not even try to explain how rude and awful it is to ever raise your voice in Thailand, and how future tourists might be given shit now because we (I include myself, even though I did not raise my voice or anything) have been yelling at people.
Finding the right ferry
Anyways, random pier. Yes, random pier. We can see two other piers off in the distance. Just which one is the right pier with cheap ride? First place offers us 2 ways for 140bht, if we go at 9am. They are still so upset about being 'ripped off' that we say no to this, walking down another pier (because the guide book says it should only be 60bht.) We walk down whole pier with our bags, get to the end to be told 160bht one way. Of course, this is like triple what we were offered before, so we walk back down pier to other place. New place now tells us 140bht and we could go right away. We are still soaking wet, starving, exhausted, etc, etc. SHe says 140bht for one way, and we go right away. 60bht to wait until 9am. So, whatever, everyone is so cranky, we have to talk about this for like 10minutes, until we finally agree. We get put in the back of a pick-up truck (this time with no benches, we are sitting on the ground) and go like 110km/hour down this back road, get to ferry pier that was the 3rd one that we had originally seen. We miss the ferry for 7am, and are told "sorry, have to wait until 8am." Riiight, so we wait, there is problems with the tickets, but they sort it out. We get a call from our friends bcak in Bangkok who say we will get rain for the next three days in Ko Chang. I am trying to be so postive, and happy, and play (my favortie) the compliment game (Europeans do not compliment eachother, I have learned since) and Michelle and I sang songs. No one else was positive, in fact, everyone is positively furious.
Ferry
Anywasy, we go on ferry for an hour, we get to Ko CHang, on the weirdest ferry ever. Stray dogs get on and just ride it. And it is all open, (with railings, thankfully) and has a food stall you have to barter at.
Arriving at Koh Chang
It is now 9:00am. At this point everyone just agreed to pay the truck how much it cost to go to White Sands Beach, on Koh Chang. We ride with 2 Thais (one of which lives in America now) and they explain the "Thai price" and the "Farang price." (Farang=me.) And, as we all know, prices have gone up in Thailand due to excessive toursim. So, anyways, we get some helpful hints of them, and then we get to White Sands Beach, which is beautiful! SO beautiful! On this amazing island, that you have to drive up and down this twisty-turny roads to get to the tourist part. It is so amazingly beautiful, and we find a semi-decent place to stay, with a flushing toliet (whooo hoo!)
White Sands Beach
We play in the sand all morning, making the best sandcastles you ever did see, playing volleyball in the ocean, and hanging around. Leaving all 6 of us with the worst sunburns you have ever seen. Oh yes. Thankful I was wearing a one piece suit, otherwise I would have been burnt all the way through.
Renting MOTORCYCLES
Yes!!! I know! I drove my very own motorcycles. I did think, a couple times, what would my father and my grandparents think about this choice? Um, well, considering we were on mountain roads, in the middle of a foreign coutnry, with shoody brakes, illfitting helmets, with no prior experience... Uh yah. Hah. So I got on my first motorbike ever, and was practically crying the first 2km, because I felt so scared, and I was all by myself. Once we stopped for the first time for gas, I insisted that I not be last in the group, as I was terrified I would bail, and be left to die on the side of the raod all by myself. As we contineud on, and got into the mountain parts, I, again, was almost crying, because my brakes, truly, did not work properly. You had to put your legs out to stop. Everyone was having the same experince. I was kind of wishing that I did what Julia did, which was to go on the back of one of the boy's bikes. HOwever, that said, I was so happy that I could control it myself. I would rather have my inexperience than someone elses. Anyways, off we went, we were out for hours, with no crazy mishaps. I will not tell you that we were driving, at some points, over 110km/h. Anyways, once I pretend to ignore all the consequnces that could happen as a result of this decisions, I really enjoyed myself. We stayed out so long that it started to get dark, and rainy, and we were on the other part of the island. Hhaa, so, racing for the hotel, we managed to go through a checkstop with police with guns, and I was more than a little scared. HOwever, we were just waved through, after having to stop for the line up. Yes, at this point, I did think, what would the grandparents think? We made it home alive, had a nice dinner on the oceanside, with a nice full moon, and tehn went to the bar next door for some sit down drinks on teh beach, and since that night I have decided I will not drink until I get back to Canada. Anyawys, yes, it was grand fun, that day.
The rest of the trip
Michelle, Julia and I left the group the next morning, and went to a different village, with this market nad hotel that are raised above the ocean. You sleep over the ocean! We had the most beautiful hotel, which was build as a pier, with rooms above the water. We ate and it was great, until we all got sick with teh worst flu of the entire world.
Going Back Home
We went back to Bangkok on Saturday, all ill and all sick. We got back for 100 bht to ferry, 60bht on ferry (hahah), and then bus ride. So like a fraction of the price. Anyways, we were all sick! Some worse then others, but all sick nonetheless. THe worst didn't hit me until Saturday night, when I spend the whole night on the couch/bathroom moaning about hating life, and swearing to leave this god awful country as soon as possible. Haha. I just ate solid food for the first time this morning (Monday), after sleeping all of Sunday (until 6pm!) I made it class this morning, and had some bread at our break (otherwise, after not having food for really 2 days, I was a basketcase of exhaustion, and wanted to kill my prof who was like "Stefanie, I am not sure, but have you lost weight?!" "Um, yes, not eating all weekend will do that do you, jackass." Anyways, I just ate some pancakes (the most un-Thai food I could find, and it seems to be okay. So far. Everything hurts, especially my neck and head. BUt that will go away after a nice Thai massage and whatnot. Heheheheh. And I found some whole wheat bread in the 7-Eleven today (phew! They love their 7-Eleven's, thankful for that!) and I will eat toast and PB for the rest of my life here, as the food makes me sick and makes me want to die. Hehe. I realized this is first tiem I have thrown up from being sick since I was probably 12 or something. Seriously. Insane. Anyawys, yes, life will get back to normal. I have my uniform on, and I look so pretty. Haha. Right.
Anyways, Michelle is driving me nuts, with her immense health knowledge at this point. Hhaha. Michelle is feeling really strong because she bought gum that says to have 31% of your daily intake of calcium. It tells us this in broken English, so obviously this is correct. It also says "milk dervied." As far as I know, calcium can only be absorbed after the stomach, so this is a mystery to me. Perhaps we need to swallow the gum? Funny how 1 tiny piece of gum can have more calicum then 8 ounces of milk. It does say that it is 'milk derived' though. Perhaps it is what the astronauts eat... just chew gum all day. Michelle must be correct.
And nap time. (Pray for headache to disappear.)
Oooh and Cracker Banana Pants has loved his puppysitter so much, that he is staying there again tonight. He lived down the street, for the past weekend, with this nice lady that has two little yappy type dogs, that I can't figure out what breed they are. Anyways, she took Crackers for the weekend, and I went to visit him today (now that I am better) and he looks SO happy. He has little puppy friends, a little yard, and she was cuddling him. He is going to stay tonight too, and then we will see. I brought him tasty treats, he was so happy to see me. He went out with me for a bit, but he might have a new permanant family, even though I will always be his mother, indeed. (This is good, as Canada DOES NOT let in little Thai dogs. No way, no how. It was confirmed.)
Annnyways, that is the weekend. Yes, indeed. ¶ 2:43 PM
