03/05/99
One Night in Bangkok Makes a Hard Man Humble
Fortunately we're here for longer than that, unfortunately we are here
for longer than that.
Diving in Ko Tao (Gulf of Siam) was perfect, except for plankton-rich
bad-visibility water. For anyone wanting to get certified in Paradise
rather than some grim pool in SOMA or an old stone quarry in Indiana,
head to Ko Tao. $150 gets you from beginner to Open Water certified.
Regular dives, including all rental gear, was only $20 a pop. Highlights
were school of baracuda and a potato grouper, but no Whale Sharks this
time of year as hyped. Also, if anyone is looking for an amazking
flexible, relaxing career, I will recommend they look into dive
instructing. Demand is so high, they can just so up (get certified for
$1000 or so) and then lead dive trips. Bored of Thailand? head to
Australia, then Phillipines, then Chuk. Expect low pay and gekkos in the
toilet, but demand is high and your certifications speak for themsleves.
We've come to Bangkok, simply to arrange travel logisitcs (visas, plane
changes, and buses). Both been here before. Khao San Road (Travellers
center for SE Asia) feels like Vegas these days. On the island a bottle
of water was the island bot-in price of 15 cents. Around the city water
is 10 cents. On Khoa San Road it is 30. But Bangkok, on the other hand
seems cleaner, and brighter, less exhaust and traffic. Thai folks have
been just great and wonderful as we remembered, but it's stilla huge
city and we're looking to get out
Just rearranged travel plans for next two months. High Adventure Travel
in SF booked us great tickets we've been able to change dates the whole
way. Today we even changed an entire departure city (Rangoon instead of
Bangkok .... nutty huh?). for free free free. So we need to check a
couple more facts but right now our plans are. Leave for Loas
(Vientiane) Sunday night. Travel north for 15 days there and cross into
SW Chinese town of Mengla (don't like that name), and return to good
roads and real communism. We hope to spend a month in Yunnan provice and
maybe some time in Sizhuan and Ginxhou (sp???). The more we read and
glean about Yunnan the more we know it should be a real adventure,
overlooked by most, butencouraged by all (including the Chinese). From
the capitol of Kunming, we can arrange a rare visa to enter Myanmar
(Burma) from the north and have 3 weeks in that tragiacally beautiful
nation to get down to Rangoon to get to our newly rearranged fligth to
Bangladesh.
I'll write more tomorrow as email should be rare (it is outlawed in
Myanmar!), but letters or aerograms or telegrams will ahve to suffice
Needless to say we miss everyone
Ted
tedinasia@hotmail.com
02/25/99
Ko Tao Now & Singapore Redux
Paradise-
Ko Tao island, Thailand. (Pranee bungalows, Hat Mai See for anyone who
wants to jam out and join us) Taking a little break from our cultural
journies for the easy paradise beach life. Feels trite, but the road has
been hard and idylic island perfection so close. Diving is cheap (as is
everything else) and that is what we will be doing. It took 34 straight
travel hours to get here from Singapore - splept on a bus one night and
a boat deck the next ... but you kbnow how it is!
Singapore Redux
Not the Orwellianseptic city of the future I had envisioned. Fascinating
place for those that haven't seen it: it was my first time. The whole
world seems to be crossing paths in that anomalous(sp?) city state. Just
for the existence of it, we drank Singapore Slings in The Raffle's
(super fancy pants colonialist hotel) Long Bar. We blew the budget to
hell, but made sure we were out of town in under four days. Had a real
great time eating swiss burgers with bacon, bagels and feeling clean.
Sadly, unless COMMERCIALISM and SELF-ADVENCEMENT can be considered
soulfull, the city-state displays a complete lack of soul. (At least
from where we stood in the cheap seats.)
CRAZY PLAN CHANGE
Jules isn't that interested in Vietnam and I've been there, so we'll
probably trade it for Burma/Myanmar. Our dream is to go Bangkok ->
Cambodia -> Thailand -> Loas -> SW China (Yunnan Province is suposed to
be the best of show. 30+ minority cultures and China is encouraging
visitors at the moment, and maybe Sizhuan and Ghouxia Provinces) -> from
Yunnan -> Northern Myanmar (supposed 4 overland border points all easy)
-> Rangoon fly-> Bangladesh. We'll see in Bangkok if we can work it out.
Anyone wanna join us anywhere? Let us know
tedinasia@hotmail.com
