Koh Yao Noi

Sunrise at Low Tide - Sabai Bungalows 

Well, this is an interesting island.  It's pretty remote and in an incredibly beautiful area - Phang Nga Bay.  But first, about the horses.  I was trying to get online to call home and there was no reception at the place I'm staying.  Another guest told me just down the street she had found free wifi, so off I went.  While checking emails, a young man on a motorcycle came down the street with two ropes, each attached to a horse.  Really!  That has to be the most unique way to exercise a horse that I've ever seen.  He then let them graze on the grass in front of me.  Very cool.  So then, the two women who own the place are great: Lela from Milan, Italy and Selma from Germany.  They are both lovely and helpful people who really love this island.  It's not very populated and the people are split equally between Thai and Muslim.  That being said, I'm cutting my stay here short and moving on to Ao Nang tomorrow for a few reasons:
The worst mosquitoes I've encountered.
Noisy motorcycles (the place is on the beach but close to the road)
There is no town center and nowhere to walk and I like to walk.
However, before leaving I was fortunate to be able to do a tour of Phang Nga Bay with 3 German guys and a couple from Marseilles so it cost much less (cost of the boat split between us).
We saw amazing karst formations, swam in warm waters and went into two incredible caves - Inside the karsts.  We even swam through a small opening/cave into a lagoon inside the karsts.  It was a great day.  Let's see if I remember everything:
Our driver was Yot
We visited Udu and Aroi islands (and others I don't remember)
We saw a huge tree that was bigger than most redwoods I've seen called a Paloi (quite possibly spelled incorrectly)
I asked Yot how old it was and he said, "Very old."
Onward.

Addendum to Khao Sok (Moral)

I just wanted to add a little story.  If you've been reading this blog, you know my feelings about the cave (narrow opening, deep water, darkness, snakes and LEECHES!).  So, the next day, after the Rafflesia flower hunt, I hiked into Khao Sok Park to the waterfall.  I was sitting by the waterfall admiring the jungle, the water, the sun . . . Well, you get the idea.  When I got ready to leave, I noticed blood on my leg behind my knee and also on my handkerchief.  You guessed it - a LEECH!  The interesting thing is that it didn't hurt, but itched after I knocked it off and that, for a tiny little puncture, it bled like crazy!  So, the moral to this story is - The harder you try to avoid something, the faster it comes around to bite you in the butt, or leg in this instance!

Khao Sok

The Bus

Umm Also the Bus

My Treehouse

Resident Guesthouse Frog

Well, here I am in khao sok, but getting here is an interesting story.  I said goodbye to Thaya and Ah at 10:15.  (See picture.) Thaya asked why I was leaving so soon when the bus wasn't coming until 11:00.  I was a bit concerned because I hadn't been able to find the bus stop and thought I would have time to get some money.  So, I walked up the road and, because it was Sunday, the money exchange opened at eleven.  Oh well, I'll find the bus stop, I thought.  Two guys asked if I wanted a taxi and I said no, but where is the bus stop?  "Where to?", they asked.  "Surat Thani", I replied.  They pointed, I looked and the bus was loading luggage.  IT WAS 10:30!  One more minute and I would have missed it and the next, and only other, one was at 2:00 or 1:30 or 2:30.  Sometimes luck is on your side.  . . And sometimes it isn't.  Please note in the pictures of the bus the Buddhist monks, the king, lots of animal statues, a New York Yankees hat, flowers, offerings, etc. all while Death Race was playing on a TV and people were being blown to bits.  Even more interesting is that the man at the place I'm staying (for $11/night) was waiting for me at the bus stop with my name on a sign!  How did he know?  Anyway, I love it here.  The area is beautiful and my treehouse is cozy and you can hear monkeys and strange sounding birds and insects.  Tomorrow I booked a trip go the Kheuan Chiaw Lan, a man-made lake with karsts.  We will also hike to a cave with bats and the next day I'm hiking in search of the rafflesia, a giant flower found only in this area and can get as big as 33 inches across.
So, regarding the lake, it was as beautiful as I imagined.  The hike was a pretty strenuous hike through jungle with hills and at least six river crossings.  I did not go into the cave however because the water was neck deep, there were no bats, but there were leeches and water snakes.  I admit it - I was creeped out.  I enjoyed the day and loved the lake and the hike, but the guide was noisy and the group chattered constantly which made for a lesser experience in my opinion.  I believe the reason the guide made such noise is because he SAID his father and uncle had both been eaten by tigers.  True?  Who knows?  Today's experience was the opposite.  It was me and one young man and we walked through some family's farm of rubber, palm oil and bananas.  They gave us a lift on the way back where I met Kai's family.  We hiked way up a mountain but alas, no flowers were in bloom.  We saw blossoms the size of a soccer ball and flowers past their prime but it was a good hike and a beautiful place with lots of listening to the sounds of the jungle.  By the way, every time we stopped to catch our breath, Kai would roll and smoke a cigarette that smelled like cloves.  How did he go up those hills so quickly?.  His family also had teeth stained red from chewing betel nut. Tomorrow, on to Koh Yao Noi in Phang Nga Bay.  (Say that three times fast.)

Inigo , Rita, Me and Guayapil 

The Cave Entrance 

A Flower. Bud

Kai

Kai's Family 

Wundabar on the Reggae Queen!

Okay, so where to begin? I guess first I have to explain the picture of Theeya and Lorna.  Lorna (19 - from Scotland and here for six months volunteering at a school) is staying at Seaweed Hostel. Theeya and her boyfriend, Ah, (remember the guy with stars on his head?) run the cafe and manage the hostel for their friend.  They were going to a market in Bangbieng and invited Lorna  and I to go along.  Really, really good food for really cheap.  It was fun and I got back just in time to be picked up for the snorkel liveaboard.   Okay, now for the weird part.  Of all the ginjoints on all the snorkel boats in Thailand, I have ended up on an all German snorkel trip.  The head of the trip (Ralph or Rolf) is also German.  I mean really; what are the chances??  I know maybe one person who could get by in this situation (Wade).  My German Sucks!  I can't even wrap my tongue around the words.  All of that being said, they are all very nice and the trip has been great so far.  After asking me how old I was, they have told me I did a guut job on the first full snorkel day and designated me president of the trip.  (I told them I'd rather be queen.   Ha!)
We have just left the Surin Islands where the Moken picked us up in a longtail boat and took us to their village.  The Moken are another tribe that left Burma under duress and the Thai people allow them to stay on Surin. However, they leave when the rainy season begins.  On Surin we snorkeled in two locations and spotted many fish but much of the coral seemed dead.  On the island, we waded out in the mangroves and saw a lot of baby black-tipped reef sharks.  There had to be at least 30 of them and maybe more, each about 2 1/2 - 3 feet long.  Sorry you won't get to see pictures of them.  They're on my other camera.  We left Surin and headed toward Koh Tachai and on the way, came across a boatload of people from India on their way to Malaysia.  Their boat was old and run down and there were a lot of them on that boat.  The captain and staff on our boat are a Thai Muslim family and really wonderful people.  All of the sudden we turned around and the captain tossed them two bags of food.  I'm not sure why these people were fleeing India or why they are going to Malaysia, but I hope they make it.  The other thing we encountered was a pod of dolphins that followed us and swam next to us for a long time.  Snorkeling at Koh Tachai was great with lots of healthy coral.  We are moored by the island overnight and will head to Koh Bon and the Similan Islands tomorrow.  To be continued.  . .
Have left Koh Bon where we didn't see mantas but did see white-tipped reef sharks and a giant moray eel, as well as all the usual suspects, more dolphins and lots of flying fish.  It's been great.  One thing I forgot to mention is that our shoes were confiscated before we got on the boat (Thai people believe it's bad luck).  This is okay except we hiked across Koh Bon through the jungle to a scenic outlook BAREFOOT!  So far, so guht!
Made it to Similan Islands 8 and 9 and they're magnificent!  Snorkeled with a turtle and amazing numbers of fish.  There was another hike tonight to watch the sunset from atop a giant rock but I sat this one out and watched from the boat with a beer.  My feet aren't made for hiking barefoot.  Ended the night with the best dinner yet with lots of fresh fish and then we all went up on the top deck and talked, had a second beer (I think a couple of the guys were on their third or fourth) and toasted each other.  I've learned a few German phrases and have an invitation to visit Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Koln.   Today we finished with two more snorkel trips on islands six and seven.  As Karen would say "Ah supah ser guht, yah."
Off to Khao Sok jungle tomorrow.

For Dee

Donald Duck Bay

Lam Ru National Park

You Tell Me What This Means  

I walked south of town about 1.5 km to Lam Ru National Park today.  The good news is there are sidewalks the whole way and it's a beautiful walk.  Directly across the street from the entrance is a small temple dedicated in some manner to tsunami victims or to protect against future ones.  Whichever, there was this huge structure next to the temple that resembled a horno, only it was pointed and eight feet high.  There was a man felling trees and chopping wood and throwing logs into it and it was smoking like a giant incense burner.  Offerings, I believe.  Interesting!
The park has an entrance fee of 100 thb, so the ranger says, "200 baht."  Is there a person standing next to me invisible only to me?  This also happens in restaurants.  "Table for two?"  Um, one please.
I said, "One person, only me, 100 baht."  No problem and, other than that, the park was beautiful with great paths and some amazing beaches.  I found the perfect rock to lean against under a great old tree and watched the birds flitter about and listened to the gentle waves.  It was heavenly.  Tomorrow is the boat liveaboard to the Similar and Surin Islands for three days of snorkeling in new places.  I'm excited!

For Eric. - Lumber Sized Bamboo in Background 

My Favorite Beach 

Khao Lak - A Town in Recovery

Beach with Tsunami Warning Tower

My Bungalow with Tsunami Warning Tower

Cafe at Seaweed Hostel

Happy Greetings from Khao Lak!  I like it here.  The ride from Phuket airport was interesting with water buffalo tethered in front yards and plentiful rubber plantations of all sizes and ages, some with canopies so thick, no sun got through.   The terrain started changing to thick forest and hills, eventually becoming jungle.  The town of Khao Lak has one main street which is where my place, Seaweed Hostel is located.  The beach is beautiful and about a ten minute walk from my room.  The hostel is laid out in a strange fashion with a covered driveway right through the middle and nice but basic rooms lining each side, each with a chair in front.  I was having issues with flickering lights and had seen the air conditioned bungalows in back and asked if I could upgrade.  The very sweet young woman who runs things gave me the bungalow for the same price as my room ($16) because there is termite damage on the door frame.  Did you know that termite is 'pluok' in Thai?  When I first went to speak with her, she was shaving a star into a young man's head!  This is a cool place and my bungalow is awesome and the strange sounding frog/gecko who seems to be living here too agrees!  The town, like I said, is one main and very busy street.  It has probably thirty diving  shops but what is surprising is that there is about the same number of tailor shops featuring silk and, in some cases, cashmere clothing.  There are also about ten optical stores.  Odd for a town this size and I wonder if anyone actually shops in them.
Today I walked to the tsunami memorial which is 2.5 km North of here.  Between the heat and the lack of sidewalks, it was a bit harrowing, but nothing in comparison to the site.  I have attached some pictures: one of the newly completed memorial and the other of a police boat that sits where the tsunami deposited it, 2.2 kilometers from its location in the sea it was patrolling.  I did not include the boards with stories and photos as it is just too heartbreaking.  That the people of this town have recovered and rebuilt is an amazing example of the resiliency of the human spirit.  I met an Irish woman who moved to Khao Lak 7 years ago for a man.  They're not together any longer but she now is the proud owner of Pirate Diving.  Can't believe that no one used that name before.  Tonight I walked to the beach for the sunset and had another massage.  This was more expensive than the one in Bangkok - 300 thb which is about ten dollars.   I could get used to this!
  

Buddhas Everywhere...Or Why I Love Thailand!

 What a place!  Where else in the world is there such horrible smog in a huge, confusing city, total opulence next to extreme poverty, such nice people, INSANE traffic and so many beautiful temples.  I am staying at a lovely little hotel on a canal with bridges over it that reminded me of Venice until, as I was walking along, the sidewalk suddenly turned into a bunch of boards strewn about.  A Thai woman in her 80's motioned to me that it was safe and I could follow her, but thankfully a nice man showed me the long way around which of course was down a driveway and through a gate which led to an alley.  Only in Bangkok!

Went to three wats  (temples) today, all beautiful and very different from each other.   Wat Bowonnwet  was the first and the gold Buddha and the scary bearded man are from there.  A man came up and explained that the beard was decorated during Chinese New Year celebrations.  I also visited Wat Phra Kaew which houses the emerald Buddha.  (Pretty anti-climactic as it appears the statue is only about three feet tall, but the altar was magnificent!). This is also the Site of the royal palace which is so far over the top it's unbelievable (one small bit is pictured - 3 pictures).  Lastly, I went to the Gold Mount which is up many stairs and looks over all of Bangkok.  The offering bell that I hung (see picture) is hanging there at the top of the Gold Mount being rung by the wind.
I think I'm getting better at dodging cars, buses, tuk-tuks and motorcycles so, if all goes well, I'll find my way to the Klong Lat Mayom floating market tomorrow, the South to the beaches.  Yay!

A few things new and some I forgot to mention:  My new friend, Joe, who I met on the plane.  Joe is from Guam originally but grew up and lived in San Jose most of his life.  He now lives in Guam because of his wife's job and enjoys living there except for missing his family.  He said I reminded him of his wife in many ways including we both run, do yoga and are hard of hearing in the same ear!  What are the chances?I look forward to meeting her -She sounds like my kind of person!
Today I met Carolyn at breakfast and we hung out together all day and had a great time.  We went to the Taling Chan floating market and bought flower bracelets, went to Khoa San Road (her first time), had lunch, got lost, went swimming, got Thai massages (her first), had dinner and walked to the river.  She is from British Columbia and I should remember the town but I have to look on a map.  We have a great many things in common and we plan to keep in touch.  I'm looking forward to getting to know her better.  Two days - two great new friends.  I feel very fortunate.

Leaving Tomorrow

Well folks, I'm off on a new adventure - This time it's about beaches and land formations mostly.  As you're probably aware (or if you aren't you soon will be), there are many, many islands in Thailand and I have not visited nearly enough of them.  I hope to do a lot of snorkeling and want to see lots of karsts (limestone formations that literally jut out of the ground or sea).  Right now, I'm doing the last minute preparations and not looking forward to being away from my family and dog; nor am I looking forward to the long, long plane ride, but adventure awaits.  More soon!