The journey from Siem Reap to Phuket went fairly smoothly. Phuket is a large island just barely off the coast of southwestern Thailand. Its baby blue waters and abundant palm trees make it one of the most tropical places on earth. Unfortunately, it is slowly becoming more and more commercialized, but it was nonetheless amazing.
After taking two flights and an hour-long taxi ride, we arrived around midnight and found a cheap guest house to crash at. Patong beach is infamous for being a giant frat party, and we wanted to avoid that, so we spent the whole next day on Kata beach, which many people said was one of the best on the island. I spent most of the day in the water body surfing and just enjoying the perfect temperature, and I paid for it for the rest of the trip. I was delivered the most severe ass-kicking by the sun that I ever had. I didn't even look like a lobster; I looked like a strawberry. Several days later I began to peel and a masseuse commented that I looked like a snake.
Pics
(This album is half Siem Reap, half Phuket. Pay attention to comments for which is which.)
Later that night we were walking along the beach as the sun was setting when we ran into some friends of mine from Korea who were also visiting, and for reasons that will become apparent soon, I think this was the most fortunate part of the trip for me. They told us they were going to Phi Phi island (the place where the movie "The Beach" was filmed) and told us we should come too. Phi Phi is actually 2 islands and you have to take a 90 minute ferry to get to them. Laura and Megan also knew a couple of the people rolling in this new bunch whom they were anxious to see, so we booked some tickets and the next day we were off to Phi Phi.
Pics
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Koh Phi Phi
The girls were originally hesitant about going to Phi Phi, but meeting our friends made them want to go, and I am so extremely happy that we went because our first day/night on Phi Phi island was probably the best part of the trip for me. We got off the ferry and headed over with our friends to their hotel; they had reservations but we did not and we wanted to try to get a room in the same hotel. Unfortunately, it was booked full and was too expensive anyway. Luckily, some random westerner who lived on the island saw us looking lost and gave us some suggestions for good guest houses, as well as some good restaurants and bars.
So we got our room and headed up to the observation point, which is basically the top of a very large hill that overlooks the two main bays of the island. The view was incredible and we were able to catch the sunset from up there before heading back down. None of the pictures I took really came out that well, so they don't even come close to doing the island justice.
Pics
After sunset we all headed out to a Thai restaurant that our random western acquaintance had suggested, and after a half-hour wait we were able to order food. This restaurant was the most amazing place on the island -- we got a HUGE amount of food and lots of beer for about 5 dollars per person. I haven't eaten so much food in a very long time.
After eating we headed out to a...well, I'm actually not really sure what to call it. I guess I would call it an outdoor nightclub on the beach on the northern bay. They were doing random party games when we got there, like limbo and jump-rope, but this being Thailand, they couldn't just play the usual boring games. They decided to break out the fire. The jump-rope was on fire, the limbo stick was on fire, and I nearly got singed by both, but that's what the alcohol is for right? After each successful pass under the limbo stick you walked by a guy who would pour rum into your mouth from a bottle as you walked to the back of the line. Same deal with the jump-rope, except this came only after avoiding catching your clothes on fire when you failed to jump over the rope.
Pictures
(Sorry for the poor quality, these were all taken by Megan on her camera, which is just a crappy point-and-shoot.)
After these shenanigans came the music, and we just danced on the beach to trance and techno with lasers shooting every direction. When you got tired you walked down to the water and take a breather. We set up some chairs in the water so that we could sit and the waves could wash up on our feet. Since we were on an island with minimal light pollution, the stars were out in full force over the bay. Right before leaving, we took a quick dip in the bay. I couldn't even remember the last time I went swimming under the stars, all I knew was that it had been far too long.
From there we went to a place called Tiger Bar, which was right next to the restaurant we ate dinner at. The girls aren't real big partiers so they went back to the hotel room to sleep while me and my other 4 friends had a few more drinks and club-hopped for a couple more hours. By the end of the night I was exhausted but exhillarated.
The next day we left and headed back to the Phuket airport, where we caught a plane back to Bangkok.
So we got our room and headed up to the observation point, which is basically the top of a very large hill that overlooks the two main bays of the island. The view was incredible and we were able to catch the sunset from up there before heading back down. None of the pictures I took really came out that well, so they don't even come close to doing the island justice.
Pics
After sunset we all headed out to a Thai restaurant that our random western acquaintance had suggested, and after a half-hour wait we were able to order food. This restaurant was the most amazing place on the island -- we got a HUGE amount of food and lots of beer for about 5 dollars per person. I haven't eaten so much food in a very long time.
After eating we headed out to a...well, I'm actually not really sure what to call it. I guess I would call it an outdoor nightclub on the beach on the northern bay. They were doing random party games when we got there, like limbo and jump-rope, but this being Thailand, they couldn't just play the usual boring games. They decided to break out the fire. The jump-rope was on fire, the limbo stick was on fire, and I nearly got singed by both, but that's what the alcohol is for right? After each successful pass under the limbo stick you walked by a guy who would pour rum into your mouth from a bottle as you walked to the back of the line. Same deal with the jump-rope, except this came only after avoiding catching your clothes on fire when you failed to jump over the rope.
Pictures
(Sorry for the poor quality, these were all taken by Megan on her camera, which is just a crappy point-and-shoot.)
After these shenanigans came the music, and we just danced on the beach to trance and techno with lasers shooting every direction. When you got tired you walked down to the water and take a breather. We set up some chairs in the water so that we could sit and the waves could wash up on our feet. Since we were on an island with minimal light pollution, the stars were out in full force over the bay. Right before leaving, we took a quick dip in the bay. I couldn't even remember the last time I went swimming under the stars, all I knew was that it had been far too long.
From there we went to a place called Tiger Bar, which was right next to the restaurant we ate dinner at. The girls aren't real big partiers so they went back to the hotel room to sleep while me and my other 4 friends had a few more drinks and club-hopped for a couple more hours. By the end of the night I was exhausted but exhillarated.
The next day we left and headed back to the Phuket airport, where we caught a plane back to Bangkok.
Bangkok
I freaking love this city. Bangkok is one of the most amazing and lively places I have seen. We spent both of our days in Bangkok in a part of town that is famous for housing backpackers like ourselves. The area is called Koh Sahn, and it is really incredible. During the day we passed time by visiting huge outdoor markets which sold everything from food to clothes to bootleg DVDs. At night, we visited bars playing live music and got drinks from street vendors.
On Thursday night we met up with one of Laura's friends, who lives and works in Bangkok. He and his friend took us out to dinner and then showed us around town a bit. We stopped for awhile in Bangkok's Chinatown, which was amazing. There were so many lights and street vendors that I thought I was in Korea again. After driving us around for a bit we said our goodbyes and parted ways.
On Friday, Laura had to head back to the airport to catch her flight home. Megan and I spent the day lounging in coffee shops, eating delicious Thai food, and spending some time catching up on emails and such. We also got a two hour Thai massage for about 15 dollars. Soon thereafter, we caught our bus to the airport and spent the night at a nearby hotel. The next morning we were on our way home, and the trip was over.
On Thursday night we met up with one of Laura's friends, who lives and works in Bangkok. He and his friend took us out to dinner and then showed us around town a bit. We stopped for awhile in Bangkok's Chinatown, which was amazing. There were so many lights and street vendors that I thought I was in Korea again. After driving us around for a bit we said our goodbyes and parted ways.
On Friday, Laura had to head back to the airport to catch her flight home. Megan and I spent the day lounging in coffee shops, eating delicious Thai food, and spending some time catching up on emails and such. We also got a two hour Thai massage for about 15 dollars. Soon thereafter, we caught our bus to the airport and spent the night at a nearby hotel. The next morning we were on our way home, and the trip was over.
Some Notes About The Trip
Nobody should be under any illusions about what these countries are like. For tourists like us, they are places of wonder and adventure, like the kind that you dream about when watching things blow up in James Bond movies. But for many of the people in these countries, abject poverty is a way of life.
I fully expected to see some pretty depressing sights while travelling around the region, and indeed I did - pregnant women on the side of the road begging; children wandering from tourist to tourist asking for money; kids helping their parents run a small roadside business when they should be in school. But despite their circumstances, the Thai and Cambodian people are, for the most part, very friendly and welcoming.
I can easily say that this was by far the best trip I have ever taken, but not just for the obvious reasons. As an amateur photographer, I did my best to capture all facets of our journey, not just the tourist aspect. I hope you will read to comments I have written for the photos, and I hope even more that you will gain a little appreciation for what these people go through every day, just as I have.
I fully expected to see some pretty depressing sights while travelling around the region, and indeed I did - pregnant women on the side of the road begging; children wandering from tourist to tourist asking for money; kids helping their parents run a small roadside business when they should be in school. But despite their circumstances, the Thai and Cambodian people are, for the most part, very friendly and welcoming.
I can easily say that this was by far the best trip I have ever taken, but not just for the obvious reasons. As an amateur photographer, I did my best to capture all facets of our journey, not just the tourist aspect. I hope you will read to comments I have written for the photos, and I hope even more that you will gain a little appreciation for what these people go through every day, just as I have.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Pray
Over the past couple of months, I have learned that this blog gets significantly more readers than I ever would have guessed. It's not exactly on google's top 10 most visited sites, but I am constantly receiving messages from people wondering why I don't post more, people who I had absolutely no idea were reading my blog regularly.
Today, I have a favor to ask of all these people. If you believe in the power of prayer, I would ask that you give a brief mention of a man named Kevin in your next discussion with the Boss.
On Christmas Eve, my uncle Kevin took his daughter sledding. He was involved in a serious accident, and is currently fighting for the ability to walk again. This is the same uncle who taught me how to ski, wakeboard, kneeboard, and who loves almost every outdoor recreational activity known to man. I can't even begin to express how sad this turn of events has made me. I have been negligent in posting this entirely because I have been unsure of what to say. It seems so useless to just scrawl virtual words on a website, but at the moment, words are all I have to offer:
If there is one thing that we are reminded of far too often, it is that human bodies are frail. A mere piece of paper can cause an injury that, while small, will fester for far longer than seems possible. But something that we are reminded of not nearly often enough is that though the body can be bruised, beaten, broken and maimed, the heart and spirit of a person can endure much more than the body could ever claim to. So long as the spirit endures, the body will find a way to follow.
I find myself coming back to a quote from a movie, one of the most amazing monologues I've ever heard: "Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them to hold on for a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble." This line is from Spiderman 2, and while I never really took to the super hero movies that much, they all inherently carry a message that should resound with all of us: Our greatest glories come in our darkest hours.
Kevin, I have little doubt that this is your darkest hour. But I want you and anyone who reads this, now or ever, to know that there is zero doubt in my mind that you will face this challenge with the same courage and temerity that we have all come to expect from you. And in doing so, you will teach all of us that in our own darkest hours we will only need to look to the past, to the example that you set for all of us.
I fully expect to play another round of golf with you in the future. In fact, I expect it so assuredly that I have already made us a tea time top play at Treetops to celebrate your recovery. By the way, this may or may not be a bad time, but the course needed the money up front, so you owe me $160 whenever you get a free minute. I take cash, check, or you can make a direct deposit into my Fidelity account.
Today, I have a favor to ask of all these people. If you believe in the power of prayer, I would ask that you give a brief mention of a man named Kevin in your next discussion with the Boss.
On Christmas Eve, my uncle Kevin took his daughter sledding. He was involved in a serious accident, and is currently fighting for the ability to walk again. This is the same uncle who taught me how to ski, wakeboard, kneeboard, and who loves almost every outdoor recreational activity known to man. I can't even begin to express how sad this turn of events has made me. I have been negligent in posting this entirely because I have been unsure of what to say. It seems so useless to just scrawl virtual words on a website, but at the moment, words are all I have to offer:
If there is one thing that we are reminded of far too often, it is that human bodies are frail. A mere piece of paper can cause an injury that, while small, will fester for far longer than seems possible. But something that we are reminded of not nearly often enough is that though the body can be bruised, beaten, broken and maimed, the heart and spirit of a person can endure much more than the body could ever claim to. So long as the spirit endures, the body will find a way to follow.
I find myself coming back to a quote from a movie, one of the most amazing monologues I've ever heard: "Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them to hold on for a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble." This line is from Spiderman 2, and while I never really took to the super hero movies that much, they all inherently carry a message that should resound with all of us: Our greatest glories come in our darkest hours.
Kevin, I have little doubt that this is your darkest hour. But I want you and anyone who reads this, now or ever, to know that there is zero doubt in my mind that you will face this challenge with the same courage and temerity that we have all come to expect from you. And in doing so, you will teach all of us that in our own darkest hours we will only need to look to the past, to the example that you set for all of us.
I fully expect to play another round of golf with you in the future. In fact, I expect it so assuredly that I have already made us a tea time top play at Treetops to celebrate your recovery. By the way, this may or may not be a bad time, but the course needed the money up front, so you owe me $160 whenever you get a free minute. I take cash, check, or you can make a direct deposit into my Fidelity account.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas
No offense to everyone back home, but I think this Christmas has been my best in years. So where do I begin?
On Tuesday night I went out after work with a few co-workers. We went downtown to do a number of things. First, we hit up Kyobo Books, the biggest book store in Daegu. One of my co-workers, Sunju, wanted to exchange Christmas presents with me, and before any of you start asking this to yourselves (because I know you are going to) YES they celebrate Christmas here. There are many Korean Christians, and they are just like every other Christian. Sunju got me a Korean grammar textbook (which I requested) and I got her a John Coltrane CD. She wanted to start listening to jazz so I figured Coltrane was a good starting musician. Will, if you read this and are wondering which album, I got her the best one: Giant Steps.
My other co-worker, Myungji, felt a little left out and wanted to also exchange gifts with me, so she got me a really cool necklace that was made in India, and I got her some earings. We then went to dinner at this really cool Indian restaurant, followed by a couple hours spent at BilliBowl, a bar/restaurant known for the game of "Billibowl". I think I mentioned this in another blog but it's like bowling with billiards and it's really fun. My coworkers had never done it before.
On Christmas Eve I had to work, but after getting off work I went home and showered and packed for my trip to the cabin. I then hitched on over to the train station where I met 5 of my other companions. We met the 7th person at our destination city, Sangju. We then took a 40 minute taxi ride up into the mountains where our cabin awaited us. Upon arriving at the cabin, we set up our miniature fake Christmas tree and set all of the secret santa presents underneath it. We broke out the food and drinks and music and started opening presents. Mine was a comic book that basically highlights all of the nuances of Korean culture from a western perspective. It's funny but enlightening at the same time. After presents we just listened to music and drank soju and beer for a couple hours.
We spent Christmas morning drinking hot chocolate and chilling in the cabin before heading back to Daegu later in the afternoon. Upon getting back to Daegu, we met some other people at a Starbucks where we hung out for maybe an hour. By then it was 7pm and time for a fance Christmas dinner at the Holy Grill, which was only available upon reservations (which we had.) The dinner was amazing, basically a sort of Thanksgiving-style feast. There was a Christmas trivia at the end of dinner which my team ALMOST won; we ended up losing by one point. After trivia we all just sat around and played cards and talked for a couple hours.
I got back to my apartment around midnight and decided to write all this up before going to bed, since I have to work tomorrow (what the hell is that, right?) But I am now exhausted and you know all about my Christmas, so I am going to bed.
On Tuesday night I went out after work with a few co-workers. We went downtown to do a number of things. First, we hit up Kyobo Books, the biggest book store in Daegu. One of my co-workers, Sunju, wanted to exchange Christmas presents with me, and before any of you start asking this to yourselves (because I know you are going to) YES they celebrate Christmas here. There are many Korean Christians, and they are just like every other Christian. Sunju got me a Korean grammar textbook (which I requested) and I got her a John Coltrane CD. She wanted to start listening to jazz so I figured Coltrane was a good starting musician. Will, if you read this and are wondering which album, I got her the best one: Giant Steps.
My other co-worker, Myungji, felt a little left out and wanted to also exchange gifts with me, so she got me a really cool necklace that was made in India, and I got her some earings. We then went to dinner at this really cool Indian restaurant, followed by a couple hours spent at BilliBowl, a bar/restaurant known for the game of "Billibowl". I think I mentioned this in another blog but it's like bowling with billiards and it's really fun. My coworkers had never done it before.
On Christmas Eve I had to work, but after getting off work I went home and showered and packed for my trip to the cabin. I then hitched on over to the train station where I met 5 of my other companions. We met the 7th person at our destination city, Sangju. We then took a 40 minute taxi ride up into the mountains where our cabin awaited us. Upon arriving at the cabin, we set up our miniature fake Christmas tree and set all of the secret santa presents underneath it. We broke out the food and drinks and music and started opening presents. Mine was a comic book that basically highlights all of the nuances of Korean culture from a western perspective. It's funny but enlightening at the same time. After presents we just listened to music and drank soju and beer for a couple hours.
We spent Christmas morning drinking hot chocolate and chilling in the cabin before heading back to Daegu later in the afternoon. Upon getting back to Daegu, we met some other people at a Starbucks where we hung out for maybe an hour. By then it was 7pm and time for a fance Christmas dinner at the Holy Grill, which was only available upon reservations (which we had.) The dinner was amazing, basically a sort of Thanksgiving-style feast. There was a Christmas trivia at the end of dinner which my team ALMOST won; we ended up losing by one point. After trivia we all just sat around and played cards and talked for a couple hours.
I got back to my apartment around midnight and decided to write all this up before going to bed, since I have to work tomorrow (what the hell is that, right?) But I am now exhausted and you know all about my Christmas, so I am going to bed.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Battling Cynicism
I was sitting in a coffee shop with my two Thailand travel companions last night discussing some of the details of our impending journey, among other things. One of the "other things" that I brought up was about a recent verdict in a year-old criminal case. About a year ago, an Indian oil tanker, which was legitimately anchored off the south-west coast of Korea, was rammed by an out-of-control Korean shipping vessel owned by Samsung. There was a massive oil spill, and during the catastrophe, the Indian captain and first-mate were required to take an action which prevented an explosion, but also increased the amount of oil spilled into the ocean. In addition, it took about 3.5 hours for the sailors to notify any Korean authorities about the disaster; I guess the whole avoiding-an-explosion thing took a little while to pass over.
This past Wednesday, the Indian captain and first mate in charge of the ship were sentenced to 18 months and 8 months in jail, respectively. They were also heavy fines levied against them. The reasoning of the court was that the actions which increased the amount of oil spilled (and prevented an explosion) and the 3.5 hours required to notify authorities of the accident were unacceptable. In essence, the two Indian men are currently facing significant jail time because some Koreans couldn't keep their boat under control. I am pretty sure that the Koreans involved are also facing penalties, but I don't know what they are.
So last night, I went off on a rant about how the Korean "justice" system is corrupt and downright insane, and how Koreans everywhere can never take responsibility for their own mistakes. I said that this recent verdict was an example of how an incident involving a foreigner invariably leads to that foreigner being blamed for said incident (I've read about many other stories where this is the case.) Koreans can never be the only ones to blame, it's never their fault.
Anyway, today I felt myself becoming increasingly cynical about this country, so in the spirit of Christmas, I have decided to reflect on some of the things that Koreans have done for me over the last 3 months:
At the start of the school year, I was given a box of some very fancy Korean hair-care products that are apparently rather expensive. Not exactly the most useful thing I've ever been given, but the sentiment was nice.
About 6 weeks into my contract, I became very sick with what I guessed was food poisoning. I had to take 2 days off of work, and on the first day, one of my co-teachers met me after getting off work to take me to a clinic. After finishing there, her husband drove me home. And on my first day back to work, my favorite student brought me a package of cold medicine that she had bought from a nearby pharmacy with her own money.
One of the local PC centers (a place where there are dozens of computers with games and internet access on them) has generously allowed me to appropriate one of their computers for my own use. They let me install a couple of English games on it and if I ever come in to use the computer and it is occupied, they will ask the person using it to move to another computer. While it is very flattering, I usually try to prevent them from doing this, but I am not always successful. Can you imagine a store in America doing this for a customer? I can't.
I am sitting in my favorite coffee shop writing this, and just a few minutes ago, when I returned my used cup to the counter, the person working the counter handed me a brand new 2009 Calendar still in its plastic wrapping. It bears the same brand name as the coffee shop, so I am guessing it is some sort of merchandise that they normally sell but decided to give to me for some reason. I always bring my used cups and trash up to the counter before leaving so that they don't have to clean up after me, something I have never seen a Korean do. Maybe the calendar was a thank-you gift?
I have become good friends with one of the science teachers at my school who speaks very little English. Every now and then we will go to the PC center after work to play some starcraft (yes, it's still huge here and he is amazing even by Korean standards) and then grab some dinner. A couple of weeks ago he showed me how to play Korean billiards, which is much much harder than pocket (normal) pool. And every time we hang out, I never pay a cent. He won't let me. He has espoused me as his "younger brother" and views it as his responsibility to pay for everything.
Every now and then, some of the teachers and I play ping pong after school. Sometimes we then go out to dinner after playing, and once again, I am never allowed to pay.
Most Koreans have a propensity for extreme generosity towards foreigners, and I think I need to remember that more often.
This past Wednesday, the Indian captain and first mate in charge of the ship were sentenced to 18 months and 8 months in jail, respectively. They were also heavy fines levied against them. The reasoning of the court was that the actions which increased the amount of oil spilled (and prevented an explosion) and the 3.5 hours required to notify authorities of the accident were unacceptable. In essence, the two Indian men are currently facing significant jail time because some Koreans couldn't keep their boat under control. I am pretty sure that the Koreans involved are also facing penalties, but I don't know what they are.
So last night, I went off on a rant about how the Korean "justice" system is corrupt and downright insane, and how Koreans everywhere can never take responsibility for their own mistakes. I said that this recent verdict was an example of how an incident involving a foreigner invariably leads to that foreigner being blamed for said incident (I've read about many other stories where this is the case.) Koreans can never be the only ones to blame, it's never their fault.
Anyway, today I felt myself becoming increasingly cynical about this country, so in the spirit of Christmas, I have decided to reflect on some of the things that Koreans have done for me over the last 3 months:
At the start of the school year, I was given a box of some very fancy Korean hair-care products that are apparently rather expensive. Not exactly the most useful thing I've ever been given, but the sentiment was nice.
About 6 weeks into my contract, I became very sick with what I guessed was food poisoning. I had to take 2 days off of work, and on the first day, one of my co-teachers met me after getting off work to take me to a clinic. After finishing there, her husband drove me home. And on my first day back to work, my favorite student brought me a package of cold medicine that she had bought from a nearby pharmacy with her own money.
One of the local PC centers (a place where there are dozens of computers with games and internet access on them) has generously allowed me to appropriate one of their computers for my own use. They let me install a couple of English games on it and if I ever come in to use the computer and it is occupied, they will ask the person using it to move to another computer. While it is very flattering, I usually try to prevent them from doing this, but I am not always successful. Can you imagine a store in America doing this for a customer? I can't.
I am sitting in my favorite coffee shop writing this, and just a few minutes ago, when I returned my used cup to the counter, the person working the counter handed me a brand new 2009 Calendar still in its plastic wrapping. It bears the same brand name as the coffee shop, so I am guessing it is some sort of merchandise that they normally sell but decided to give to me for some reason. I always bring my used cups and trash up to the counter before leaving so that they don't have to clean up after me, something I have never seen a Korean do. Maybe the calendar was a thank-you gift?
I have become good friends with one of the science teachers at my school who speaks very little English. Every now and then we will go to the PC center after work to play some starcraft (yes, it's still huge here and he is amazing even by Korean standards) and then grab some dinner. A couple of weeks ago he showed me how to play Korean billiards, which is much much harder than pocket (normal) pool. And every time we hang out, I never pay a cent. He won't let me. He has espoused me as his "younger brother" and views it as his responsibility to pay for everything.
Every now and then, some of the teachers and I play ping pong after school. Sometimes we then go out to dinner after playing, and once again, I am never allowed to pay.
Most Koreans have a propensity for extreme generosity towards foreigners, and I think I need to remember that more often.
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