flying south for winter

I'm flying south today to catch up with Bet and Lauren on the coast. Perfect timing too, as it rained in Chiang Mai last night and there is the first feeling of Thai winter. Its still not even cold, just no longer hot. They're going scuba diving for a few days in the Similan Islands. I don't scuba but I may accompany them and snorkel. I may not, however, cause I feel a little under the weather. Nothing severe, just the sniffles and general fatigue. The beach is waiting...and this coastal transplant to Wyoming can't wait.

Southward

Bet and I will go from Mae Me Lai (a nice little non-touristy town) to meet Lauren in Chiang Mai today. Tomorrow the three of us will fly to Phuket for a while on the beaches and in the water. After that It looks like Bet and I will slowly make our way north to Bangkok while Lauren will head south to Malaysia. We'll see.

Thailand photos

Thailand 1

[From Lauren] Once upon a time in Pai...

Hi all,
Here we are in Pai, the most picturesque, calm but lively place we've
encountered.  We are lucky enough to be here right before the busy season when
the locals throw themselves a huge festival with lanterns in the sky, fair
games, and live music...not to mention all the food you can imagine and enough
shopping to wear out even the most experienced shopper.  We rented motorbikes
to tour around outside the city (if you can even call it that), driving
through the countryside to waterfall after waterfall. Mom and Peter are
heading up to Mai Sai, in northern Thailand tomorrow to renew their visas.
I'll stay here in this heaven for a few more days...we head out to Southern
Thailand on Monday...can't wait for the beaches!

Before this we spent nearly a week in Chiang Mai where I found the bugs
unbearable.  The humidity was amazing and showers were necessary several times
a day, although I many times skipped them since doing so meant I'd have to
once again thoroughly cover my body in bug repellent.  We did find lots of
great food and spent three days trekking through the hilltribe villages,
sleeping under mosquito nets (although the bugs weren't nearly as bad as in
the city), eating homecooked meals, riding elephants, and whitewater rafting.
It was an amazing experience, save the five minutes I thought I was going to
fall off the neck of the elephant I was riding and be trampled beneath his foot.

I've finally uploaded some pics...you can take a look at them if you'd like (I
tried to limit the number and give some descriptions beneath them):

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17903&l=46dd9&id=592800063

Love hearing from y'all, hope you're safe...we're getting all the details
about the fires...it's worldwide news.

Love to you all,
~Lauren ;-)

Pai

Pai is an amazing little town north of Chiang Mai. Today we rented motor bikes to get out of town and see the sights. We went swimming at a local waterfall and saw sunset at the Pai Canyon. I never knew how easy motorcycles made it to see local sights...and what a blast to ride. Tonight Pai is throwing itself a party. The main stretches of town are closed with different acts at all ends and vendors selling food all over - the best are the pork skewers, the coconut and rice little fried things, and the egg and banana roti/pancake. We're walking around eating and drinking to our hearts delight. Beer is cheap and the food is even cheaper. Everywhere we go there forms a little community of other travelers so we're able to mix it up well. Tomorrow we'll continue seeing the sights around Pai on the bikes. I think we'll head to Chiang Rai the following day so that we can make a border crossing to renew our Visa.

Life is good. I hope all is well.

Heaven

Heaven is the town of Pai, the quaint little villlage north of Chiang Mai where we have found ourselves after a failed attempt to get to Mae Hong Sun. The town festival is tomorrow and after that we'll head into Laos to extend our Thai visa.

Hell

For Lauren hell is the million bites she has on her shoulders. We suspect they're from bed bugs at the hostel in Chiang Mai. I was vaguely worried the place might have given me body lice. I don't think it did but everytime I have an indiscreet itch I get concerned again.

For me hell was the bus ride from Chiang Mai to Pai. The bus was designed for people smaller than me, it's that simple. My upper leg was just longer than the space between two seats. With someone on the seat next to me and someone in the AISLE next to me, I didn't have much wiggle room. At some points I couldn't even rest against the seatback because the person standing behind me was holding the seat back for balance. The bus was full, then they started piling bags of rice in the aisle, then, after driving a bit, they started letting more people on bus, and THEN we go to the curvy part of the drive. I couldn't fall asleep becasue I would have fallen off my seat if I had (it was a winding road and I was only half on on the seat in the first place). The people standing up were holding a handrail for balance. While sitting - albeit with only one cheak on the seat - I was holding on to the SAME handrail for balance. It would have been comedic if it wasn't hellish.

Thailand: around the north

     This next week should take us to Doi Inthanon (the highest peak in Thailand) and to Mai Hong Sun and Pai, two small towns in the north of Thailand. We're taking the overnight (9 hour) bus and will spend the extra $1.50 to be on the VIP bus. Hopefully that means we can sleep a bit. Also this week, I should hear back about the movie I auditioned for. Yes, that's correct. Some American film about the Vietnam war is being filmed here in Thailand soon and they've got fliers around town trying to get American to audition. It was funny - I read some lines from one scene over and over again while they filmed me trying out their direction: give it a bit more body language, try it more confident, try it more nervous, etc. All part of the experience I guess. I'm sure nothing will come of it but the free bottle of water and a few laughs.

     Our conversations have taken a decidedly scatological turn as we assess the effects the Thai food is having on our systems. We've each swallowed our pride to use a toilet from which we initially walked away. They're not exactly toilets either. More often its a porcelain hole in the ground, which doesn't make sense. If you're going to line your hole in the ground with porcelain, and you're going to plumb the room so that a bucket of water can be used to wash things down, why not install a western style toilet? And toilet paper is a valuable commodity here.

      Anyways, the Sunday Night Market in Chiang Mai was a complete zoo. We could barely walk through the crowds that covered many blocks of town. Now I'm tired and I better get back. Till next time.

Chiang Mai - Trekking

    Lauren and I just returned from our three day trek through an area north of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. We were accompanied by a British guy named Matt we met a few days ago as well as 10 other tourists from Germany, France, Isreal, Canada, and the US. We're not sure how much ground we covered over three days. The hiking was not too strenuous but the scenery was fantastic. We swam in the pools of 3 waterfalls, rode atop an elephant for an hour (Lauren's life flashed before her eyes), did some bamboo rafting and some (pretty mild) white water rafting. Meals were provided and we camped in two villages of the hill tribes of Thailand, though we did not interact much with the local village people.

       I'm not sure if I should use the word 'forest' or 'jungle,' but that doesn't really matter. It was lushly green and amazingly loud at night from all the insects (that makes it a jungle in my book). Fortunately we were not rained as the trail would have been very slippery had it been wet. The first two days were mostly walking, interrupted by swimming at waterfalls (an activity I quickly got used to), while all the other activities were, unfortunately, left until the last day. Despite a few places where the trek could have been improved, we had a fantastic time overall, not including one sleepless night due to another guy's snoring (so loud Lauren took video/audio of it with her camera).

    Bet spent one day trying to get to a local national park and found out it's pretty much impossible to see outside of a larger tour organization. After that she took her Thai cooking course, the fruits of which were delicious as we ate them tonight.

     Tomorrow I think we're in for a relaxing day in Chiang Mai. After that we may try to see the National Park that Bet tried to see. Soon we'll head north to Pai and Mae Hong Son. Later for now.

Lauren's view of Thailand

Sawasdee from Thailand!
It feels like a year since I last wrote which is proof of the culture shock.
I never liked the study of western civ in school, but am coming to appreciate
it much more after many bug bites, trips to "the hole" without toilet paper,
and bus rides that take twice as long as they should.
We spent 3 days in bangkok with lots of rain and wats. The locals played the
red box game with us (warner-ites, you know what I mean) by sending us on one
goose chase after another in search of the standing buddha.  I enjoyed
the "frenetic" city much more than I expected, and look forward to a few more
stops there later in my trip.
On our way up to Chiang Mai, we stopped in a town called Sukothai which had
great old ruins and a large city wall surrounding them.  We rented bikes for
20 Baht (less than a dollar) for the whole day and toured around.  Releif
from the heat comes as we move farther north.  We are now in Chaing Mai,
which is a great city.  I had my first Thai massage yesterday for just about
5 dollars an hour.  I can definitely get used to that.  Tomorrow we head out
for a three day trek through the hill tribes.  We've heard it's just amazing
and can't wait to see the elephants, the people, the waterfalls, and the
greenery.
I wanted to send pictures, but have heard from several that they got viruses
from the public computers, so I think I'll wait until I can find a computer
that is less suspect.  We've met tons of great people and the locals are
extremely friendly.
Please update me on the happenings of your lives...even the little things
will remind me of home...toilet paper, anyone?
Love to you all,
~Lauren ;-)

Thailand: Bangkok, Sukothai, and now we're in Chiang Mai

As of today I've been in Thailand for a week and already I can see myself trying to come back someday. It is not particularly romantic, nor un-romantic, but the sights, the prices, and the uniqueness of it will keep Thailand in my mind as a potential destination into the future.

    Bangkok is big and loud and incredibly polluted. Nevertheless, it was fun and I imagine that returning to it and its amenities/abundance after a few weeks in the country side will be welcome. Upon arrival I caught a cab, following the guidebooks advice I made sure he had the meter on. (You are accosted by offers for a cab when you walk out of the airport, a process that continues at bus stations and street corners throughout the country. "Tuk Tuk, 40 baht," they implore, trying to get your business.) Sukumvit Soi 1 (soi is pronouced like soy sauce, not like the french moi) I told him. Once we turned onto Soi 1 I showed him the address of the place and he was utterly uninterested. The guidebook explains that addresses are not always in order, so I guess they're less useful even to Thais.

    After arriving at 11.30 am I knew I needed to stay awake, so I spent the afternoon wandering the streets of Bangkok. There are vendors everywhere selling all varieties of Thai food, clothes, and other merchandise. Sometimes they serve you on a piece of styrofoam, sometimes on a plate that you must return to them, often they give you a bag with a toothpick, sometimes even your soda is poured into a small plastic bag with a straw (so the vendor can keep the glass bottle). Rather than three meals a day, you wind up grazing all day. Fruit is plentiful and we've enjoyed it as a breakfast or snack many a time. I'm always on the hunt for pastries and Bet has been enjoying meat on a skewer. We enjoy the Thai food but find ourselves looking for something more familiar (and more solid) every once in a while.

   After Bangkok we went to Sukothai (small village with great ruins) and now we're in Chiang Mai for a few days. Chiang Mai is the perfect intersection of cultural capitol and tourist hotspot so authentic food, clothes, shopping, etc, can be easily found and often being sold by a Thai person who speaks English much better than they do in Bangkok. We'll be here for a few days before making a loop around the northwest.

Chiang Mai

We had a bumpy six hour ride north from Sukhothai to Chiang Mai today, where we just ate at an italian restaurant because our bodies were craving something more familiar. Chiang Mai is a charming city - large without the chaos and pollution of Bangkok. Another post soon.

Hopefully my next message will make some sense

Doing well

Lauren and I have been enjoying Bangkok for a day and a half now (Bet will arrive tonight). We had corn cut off the cob with coconut for breakfast yesterday and today. Somewhere we found some delicious pasteries. Fortunately there are fresh fruit carts everywhere. There are carts and vendors lining the streets in most places. You have to walk around them everywhere you go. Hopefully as you do, you don't step on a loose brick, as they squirt dirty water onto your feet when you do. Yesterday was our first full day here and we just wandered around enjoying the process of eating most of the day. Last night went went out to the bars with some other folks from the hostel. The waitresses are forward and often looking for sex or looking to refer you to a sex show. Many people are trying to swindle you here. A common tactic is for a local to tell a tourist that X temple is closed for the day but he will show you to another...or you can buy his precious gems...the propositioning is by no means limited to sex.

We've some good people are going to have a blast.

Bangkok

I tried to buy a slice of pineapple and kiwi today and wound up with a pineapple and kiwi smoothie. It tasted wonderful but I didn't finish it because I'm afraid of drinking the water. This city is sort of nuts - it rained like crazy for an hour today - nothing changed - girls still riding by on the back of the motor scooters that take people around town at insane speeds. Lauren is here and all is well. We're both pretty je-lagged and ready to crash.

Hong Kong

I made it to Hong Kong without any hangups. When I checked in at SFO I watched the ticket agent look for a visa in the back of my passport but he never said anything about it. From the airport Hong Kong looks like a great city, surrounded by hills and the port. I had noodles with pork sausage balls for breakfast here and thought to myself, if this is breakfast, imagine how strange crunchy cereal in milk must seem. There happened to be a place to use a computer for free here at the airport. My flight to Bangkok leave in half an hour. Fortunately it's only 1.5 hours long. The 13 hour flight here went well, but 13 hours is pretty rough. Take care.

Laramie and Berkeley 2007 - and off to Thailand

Laramie and Berkeley 2007

Obama for vice president?

I've been thinking about Clinton and Obama and I've decided I want Obama for vice president. I see Obama this way: I gravitate toward him out of the feeling he could be truly revolutionary. In particular, I wonder about him using the bully pulpit to talk about race, to engage this country in a conversation about race in a way no resident has tried before. The closest parallel would be the conversations/propaganda used during WWII to discuss the war effort. I should also say that I feel like Obama could lead these conversations not so much because he is black, but more because of his ability to communicate, to engage and connect. The subject, race in the US, is chosen partly because he is black but mostly because it is an issue about which action must be taken and legislation can't do it. I worry about Obama because of his lack of experience.

In my view his strengths are his magnetism and potential to use the White House in a way never done before. His weaknesses are his naivete and the chance that Washington is a place where personality isn't enough to change the tone of things in the country. In other words, his strengths are his soft power, the power to set the agenda in Washington through conversation. With the right president, a vice president could lead these conversations almost as effectively as if the VP were him/herself president. And the president, Hillary Clinton, could wield her preparedness and experience in a way Obama could not.

[This leaves out Edwards who scores major points on health care, poverty issues, and for his wife's support of gay marriage. However Edwards was only Senator for one term and in places where he and Clinton are more different, I find Edwards too liberal (e.g. Edwards is more protectionist than Clinton). I should note that my view of Obama being the perfect vice president means that he is not in second place to Hillary's first. Should Hillary falter I think I would be more likely to support Edwards for president and leave Obama for VP. (Total side note: if the VP is perfect for using soft power doesn't that mean that they must have a positive message, for no one wants the bully pulpit to be used to spread a negative message....Dick Cheney?]

Random thoughts

I leave for Thailand on Monday. I can't wait.

I'm stupidly proud of how little I have packed - my hiking backpack isn't full even with my carry-on day bag inside of it.

I wish we had universal health care. I can't get the antibiotics my travel book recommends for traveler's diarrhea because I have to see a doctor to get a prescription. Without health insurance that doesn't really work (I did invest in traveler's insurance but it doesn't cover anything before the trip).

I'm looking forward to seeing a bunch of family members this weekend: it's my grandmother's 97th birthday.

Read about the Amazon MP3 store here. I used it today and it worked well.

Two down, one to go: another of my committee members approved my masters thesis.

I hope that flip flops and my keens (hiking sandals) will be enough in Thailand. I think I'm not going to bring a real pair of shoes. I think they'd be wet after two days and never dry off in all the rain.

I'm using some neighbor's wireless in my grandmother's backyard. The golden gate is straight in front of me, though I can't really see it through the trees. Berkeley has been beautiful while I've been here.

My dad's bone scan and MRI showed that his prostate cancer (recurrence) has not spread.

My grandmother and my aunt are doing very well. 

I need to go fix dinner.

Take care.

Thai visa policies (...and airport security ... and does it work this way to enter the US too?)

Once I called my airline (Cathay Pacific, which I'm excited about) and asked about visa requirements for visiting Thailand. After looking at his computer the agent responded that US passport holders do not need a visa. Plain and simple, I thanked him and hung up.

In Berkeley, I'm reading my cousin's Lonely Planet and it says that you must have a tourist Visa to stay longer than 30 days. Holy shit, I think to myself, we're planning on being there for 6 weeks. I called the Thai consulate in Chicago (there isn't one in SF). They can process Visas very quickly, in person. He recommended that I fly to Chicago for it to be processed (it's wednesday and I leave next monday night). I can't do that. What if I went to Laos for a week in the middle of my trip? That would work, he thought, as long as I had something to show the airline representative. The airline representative? Wait, where is this policy enforced? By Customs? By the Airline? Here or in Thailand? The answer: my eligibility to board the flight will be determined by the airline agent when I check-in my luggage. I find this answer shocking and I wonder if airline representatives verify visa status for entry to the US. ... So back to the question about a reservation in Laos...it sounds like a good idea. I called Cathay Pacific again to ask about Visa stuff and to ask about plans to Laos in the middle of my trip. As long as I have something to show the agent I'll probably be allowed to get on the plane, they said. Basically, with enforcement responsibility left in the hands of the airline (i.e. the profit making entity) it appears that the airline does not want to upset their passengers. I figure that most agents don't ask at all about visa status and those that do will let you on the plane as long as you have some document that they could use as an excuse...."but he had a reservation in Laos..." Now, we are genuinely considering going to Laos but how stupid to have to make a reservation just to get on the plane.

(And, how infuriating that my airline did not properly inform me of this requirement. When I complained to the agent today, she said that it is the passenger's responsibility to know the rules. I would agree IF the airline were not the enforcing body. As long as the airline is the enforcing body they should highlight this requirement. It's also just sad that their agent told me, point blank, you don't need a visa to visit Thailand. If I had explained the details of the situation, he probably would have gotten it right, but he should have asked for those details before answering the question.)