Who would ever want to go home?

Nice to see that someone's reading my posts.


Anyways, today, Candy and I went motorbiking in search of a huge waterfall. Supposedly you're only supposed to be able to get there by elephant... but, they weren't prepared for an insane man and a tiny motorbike... actually, autobike (gears, but no clutch. However, if you press the shifter a little, it goes out of gear and if you rev it and release it, you can do wheelies or blow dirt). So, we followed our map (to size? it's got a grid set over top, so I think it's not bad) and started going into the jungle. Complete with monkeys that throw things at us, and tonnes of butterflies... and elephants. We wound up driving through a lake, a river and over rocks, I had to get off the bike and drive it wheelie style through the lake as it got a little deep. We found our waterfall and even met another couple that spent the last 5 hours hiking the trail. So, we sat at the falls and watched the butterflies and smashed some coconuts down from the trees, yummy.

I took some pictures, but my tripod had a car accident after deciding to leap from the basket on my bike and throw itself in front of a moving car; it's never been the same since, it's in pieces in my garbage can. Also, my lens has been giving me grief, sometimes when I take a picture, I get an Error 99 message (unknown error) and my viewfinder flickers (it's not a digital display), so I think I have some shutter issues, hopefully warranty is good for it. So, I'm stuck with an 80mm (equiv) and a 150-550mm (equiv) lens set. I sold my backup 28-80 lens to Paul last month... go figure.

The evening was spent with my new hammock, strung under a Banyan tree on the beach, eating sweet and sour chicken and drinking chilled coconuts. After sunset, Candy and I went to a private little bay and floated on our backs watching the stars for about 3 hours, I taught her how to float last week and she loves it. She got stung by a jellyfish (maybe, it didn't hurt much, but it left marks for a couple hours) and I molested a sea slug that we found crawling on the bottom, it was the size of a kitten.

Then, later tonight, we were getting ready to go out and I reached outside to grab my underwear off the hanger hanging from my hut and I got stung by a bee. Luckily Candy had some antiseptic, anti inflamitory, anti insect bite, anti sunburn cream from when she cut herself up on some rocks on Koh PhiPhi (Phuket).

Long story short, we were snorkeling off the point of an island, and the undertow was super strong that we couldn't fight it. So, we headed for some rocks to figure out what to do. We were alright and not going anywhere or needing to swim, just floating behind the rock and Candy panicked a little and decided to start climbing the rocks. I couldn't talk her out of it, so she got scratched up and I swam RIGHT next to the rocks and the undertow wasn't so bad. About a dozen other people got caught up in it about 20 minutes later, a boat was sent out to retrieve them. Usually there's no problem there, we were told it was just a strange current that day. We got some fantastic underwater pictures. The first three were dark... someone forgot to take off the electrical tape from the camera lens (it was protecting from scratches).

Hmmm.... cash seems to be holding, we're at about $30/day including, bike, gas, hotel, food, beer and some shopping, not bad. We will be heading to Bangkok Tuesday at noon... by bus. Also, I will be stopping by my favorite light-fingered travel agent once we hit the mainland. Haven't figured what to do about it yet, still talking suggestions.

Oh yeah, we saw a sign for a prison today and took a drive. About a 40 foot tall cement wall, then a strip of bamboo spikes about 12 feet wide and dogs and then a 15 foot tall chain link fence with no need for barbed wire, all served over a red earth floor. I doubt anyone would bother trying to jump the chain link fence, how do you avoid dogs when you're skewered on an 8 foot tall bamboo spike? Not to mention the 40 foot cement wall.

Anyways, tomorrow, we drive to some beach, and make a swim for an island to do some snorkelling.

Pass the buck

So, as I got robbed a few days ago, I took the oppurtunity to 'pass the buck'.

I robbed a lizard. We left our hut on the beach for a slightly larger hut... but with air con, hot water and a fridge. Our old hut only had a fan, cold shower (not bad at all) and some ants in the shower. Anyways, we walked into our new hut and Candy turned on the bathroom light and scared the crap out of a little green gekko from under the sink... It dropped it's $3000Baht and ran like hell out the bathroom vent. So, we are about $100CAN better off thanks to Yoda's little brother. Also, we found a better hut for almost the same price.

Karma must be on our side.

On a side note, Candy insisted on going to 7-11 to buy Mini-Yoda some sweets 'cause he gave us some cash, whatever floats your boat. We told the rental office that we found some cash in the bathroom and if they tell us how much it is and where it was, we'll send it directly to the previous tennant. I think we're safe.

So, today, we relaxed on the white sand, then floated in the sea for a few hours and ate cobs of corn barbecued by people walking the beach, just watching our coke bottles float by. Corn, 50cents, barbecued infront of you and 50 cent cokes delivered by kayak, he even swings by shore to nab us our corn. Our hut isn't ON the beach anymore, our new found shack is at least 40 feet away from the beach. I'm buying a hammok today, I found two palm trees on the beach that are just right, this whole place is a beach so I can have it all to myself. TYomorrow, I make daycamp with my iPod and books. This morning, the sea was like glass, a mirror, tonight, it was about as calm as the lake gets on a good day.

Well, off to meet some friends for drinds dinner and maybe a late night swim.

P.S. Candy realling enjoyed our 'nothing' day, but can't seem to grab the concept of 'nothing'. She's also given up her Taiwanese ways and got a suntan... even a sunburn, but the burn's cleared up and I've introduced her to the strange concept of SPF 15 sunblock, rather than the "Whitening SPF 50". I think she's coming around.

Goodbye from Thailand.

Been there, done that, shopping for the bloody T-shirt.

Well, it happened. Welcome to Thailand, you've been robbed.

Yep, got robbed, went to a travel agency and set m moneybelt down and it got skimmed. Lost about $400 bucks Canadian. Anyways, it sucked. So, I'm returning there after my trip here and I'm still not sure what to do.

No proof, tried to call the cops but couldn't seem to get the payphone to work right, even if I did manage, I have no idea where I was. The shop clearly denied it, so I asked them to call the cops. Ten minutes later a guy shows up on a scooter with a baseball cap with a sherrif star on it saying he's the cops... didn't have a gun, badge, uniform, police bike or ID.

So, I know who it was, but still unsure of what can be done. Ideas are to be accepted. I kind of just think I got screwed and that's it. I've been thinking of buying him a maltov cocktail when I go back, but that would probabl just wind me up in the last place I want to go. I'll see the police tomorrow and see what can be done. The bills weren't sequential, and the only witnesses are his buddies who probably split up the spoils.

Anyways, we found a neat cozy hut on the beach for $10/night and we still have $600 and nine nights to go. Should be alright... barely.

Anways, were on Koh Samui beach...ON THE ACTUAL BEACH, Lamah beach, but I don't remember what hotel. Amity hotel or something.

Anways, please submit any ideas...

If you can't flabbergast 'em with fact...

...baffle 'em with bull.



Well, had an interesting drive today. ALL the cars were driving on the wrong side of the road for about a minute (Candy's job, rmemeber?). Then we got pulled over by the cops in a dramatic "sea of police" road blocks with about 50 tourists getting red tickets.

Police "Do you have a license?"

Colin "Yep, sure do."

P"Where is this from!?!?!"

C"Taiwan"

P"Ummm.... is this for motorbikes?"

C"Yes"

P"Does it work for Thailand?"

C"I think so"

P"Thank you, Sir, bye."

C; And I rode off.



Yep, hand someone an official looking card full of unintelligable writing and it can say anything you like. However, Taiwan and Thailand have a mutual agreement, or they did last time I came, so... I was ok anyways.



Tomorrow, we go to PhiPhi island to snorkel and relax, the setting for the movie, The Beach.



Wednesday, we will go to Koh Samui, by boat and bus. Eight hours of "scenery". I hate busses, but I hate airlines owning airports creating monopolized ticket fares. So, $10 but boat/bus or $100 for plane... times two.



Candy got her hair braided, looks cool.

With my pookie.

Well, Candy and I flew to Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday night, not a bad flight, but not first class. We wanted to go to Koh Samui but the flights were finished for the day and one airline owns the airport... guess which airline has the only flights... guess how much.
So, we kind of just hopped on the only flight south, to Phuket (Chinese is 'Pookie Dow') and found a wicked hotel for about $15, called the Sea Breeze Hotel in Kata Bay. It's nicer than our hotel in Mexico, with a ladder from the pool onto our balcony, yeah.
We are looking to upgrade for a night, to a spa hotel, it smells like aromatherapy and it is just sweet... but it's $80, so if we continue to go light on cash, we might go for a night.
Transportation is a scam, so we rented a motorbike for $6/day. My job: drive, Candy's job: tell me to drive on the LEFT side of the road.
Anyways, we also want to go to PhiPhi Island where they filmed the movie, The Beach... a good movie, you should watch it. I think it might be an Anchor Wat moment as there are many tourists.