Food
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Luang Prabang Day 1
I woke refreshed having had a great nights sleep after the exhausting bus trip the day before. I went to visit the central market in town where the locals villages sell their produce. Alongside the fresh fruit and vegetables I was surprised to see various wild animal meat being sold openly both dead and alive. There were rodents of various kinds moving around in nets, skinned rats and squirrels, bats and wild birds. Many Lao people are unable to afford farmed meat and so are dependent on wild animals and insects as a major source of protein to supplement their rice diet. The impact of this on the environment was…
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Konglo Day 2
Woke to the sound of cockerels all around the bungalow at 5 am. I had a leisurely breakfast and before renting a kayak to explore the river next to the resort. The resort is on bank at the fork of two rivers with one river emerging from a spring a forming a ‘blue lagoon’. The water there is crystal clear and the locals come to collect water for drinking. The river was perfect for kayaking as it was slow moving and was in a great location amongst the soaring limestone kaksts. The locals were re-establishing small patches of crops on the banks of the river now that the rainy season…
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Chiang Dao Day 2
I woke early so set out to see the sunrise over the Chiang Dao mountain. Unfortunately I needed a permit to access the National Park as they are trying to crack down on poachers who hunt the local wildlife. The park can now only be accessed via an official guide but as it is off-season no guides were available. However, part of the mountain can be accessed Wat Tham Pha Phong which has a temple cut into the mountain side and can be accessed through a steep stairway cut through the forest. The sky was overcast but the views from the top were great. Looking down the hill I could…
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Pai to Chiang Dao
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Chiang Mai Day 3
Another chilled out day in Chiang Mai. I started the day with breakfast at the hostel before heading to a square at One Nimman for an open yoga class. I was surprised at how many people turned up for the free class and there was not a single free space left on the floor by the time the class started. The class began by the teacher saying it would be good for beginners however I was surprised at how physically demanding the class actually was. I met cool guy call Zag during the class. He offered to show me around the city market in the afternoon. The market was down…
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Chiang Mai Day 1
Woke up this morning to an announcement by the conductor saying that the sleeper train would be pulling into Chiang Mai at 7.30. I slept surprisingly well on the train so the journey passed quickly. For the last hour the conductor folded away the beds converting the carriages back to standard seats for passengers to eat their breakfast. I walked from the station into the old town. I could already tell the difference in architecture between the north and south which was most evident with the style of the temples. Chiang Mai temples are ornately decorated with intricate wood carvings. I found the hotel/hostel I was staying at which was…
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Trang day 2
We woke up late and had a leisurely breakfast before meeting up with the rest of the family for a day trip around Trang. The first stop was to Wang Pa Mek which had a dinosaur theme park which the children loved. The park is at the base of a hill which is the highest point in Trang. We trekked 1 hour up to the top of the hill to see the great panoramic views of the countryside. The trek started relatively easiluy with concrete steps but very soon became very steep with only ropes to help you climb up the rocks and boulders. Nemo came with us and…
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Koh Jum Day 2
Woke this morning at 4.30 am to what felt like every cockerel on the island calling to each other. I went back to sleep only to be woken by the 5 am call to prayer followed by the 5.30 am call. The mosque is located opposite the bungalow resort. The more south I travel towards Malaysia the greater the islamic influences I see around me. I decided to get up early and explore the island. I walked towards the main town where the harbour is located. I stopped for breakfast on the way at a place where all the locals were eating. I had very tasty boiled rice soup served…
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Railay to Koh Jum
This morning I left Railay to head further south to my first Thai island called Koh Jum. As it’s out of season I was unable to take a direct boat to Koh Jum. Instead I would had to head for Ao Nam Mao to take a local long boat service to the island. From Railay I caught the long boat to Ao Nam Mao where I then shared a taxi with a dutch couple to Krabi. Once in Krabi I needed to find a way to get to Ban Laem Kruat. I asked to be dropped off at the main pier and asked once of the offices the best way…
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Railay Day 2
Yesterday I had not realised that I was booked into a ‘party’ hostel in Railay. A party was in full swing when I got back to the hostel and there was no way I was going to be able to sleep so I joined the entertainment. I watched a Thai kick boxing match and a fire show. I surprisingly slept well after the entertainment and awoke early for a swim before the tourist boats arrived. It was a beautiful morning in a perfect location. After my early morning swim I decided to explore the coast by Kayak. I paddled my way around east and west Railay and then across to…
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Bangkok Day 3
Today I took it easy and spent the morning by the pool. I went for lunch at a street stall popular with locals and was joined by a Chilean guy I met. We had sir fried crab with curry seasoning and prawns with asparagus. It was the best meal so far and the crab was amazing but not for the Chilean guy who realised later he was allergic to crab! Later in the afternoon I went to a temple on a hill called Wat Saket. The temple was very simple but the views from the top provided a great panorama of Bangkok. It impressive to see the number of new…
