THAILAND CONTINUED

So, following about a month of trekking and minimal internet access, I am able to get back on my grind to bring more stories your way. Here is the end to my time in Thailand, with Laos comming soon!

KOH PHANGAN

I made it to the ferry with only five min to spare and secured a corner of the top deck for the journey. Immediately, I was met by three gents from New Zealand who were all dressed as pirates and were well underway in the evening celebrations. I was inducted into the crew and was given a wig, bandana, and some lovely tattoos in order for me to properly play the part. They were fun, but definitely a handful and five beers later I was questioning my ability to keep up with this crew for the remainder of the night. It was only 8 pm and I desperately wanted a nap!

The pirate crew

Not having accommodation and knowing that everything doubles in price around the week of the party, I chose to follow the guys to their guesthouse on the far side of the island and found a cheap bungalow to claim as my own. It was 10 pm and after some food and a bit of relaxation it was clear that I could not put off partying any longer and met the guys in the restaurant. They had met a group of five girls from England and together we took a tuk tuk to Haadrin Beach. To the full moon party!

Perfect start to the full moon party

Immediately, after sneaking in and dodging the cover charge, people began to disband through distractions and personal desires. I found this to be my perfect escape as I decided I would rather take my chances alone than be stuck with the remnants of this motley crew. It was still early, so I was able to wander a bit and could see clearly through the crowd. I went from one end of the beach to the other to gain a somewhat sober lay of the land before all hell broke loose. On the north side of the beach were two bars perched atop the rocks, playing great house music and selling buckets, beers, and mushroom shakes. After a drink and some people watching I decided to make my way to the other end, passing food stands, bucket stands, and people sitting around mini bonfires or in the water. As I came to the main entrance, situated in the middle of the beach, there was a small stage with a large full moon party banner and some black light artists and decorations.

People were decked out in neon clothing, their bodies artfully covered in florescent glow paint. From that point on the beach was one large dance party with DJ’s every 30 yards, elevated dancing platforms, and crowds of people. Between the platforms, separating one dance party from the other was a range of fire-related activities. There was fire dancing, fire jump rope, fire hoops, fire limbo, and fire slides. It was here, after watching people return from the center with burns, that I chose to solely spectate rather than participate. Although, later I did take a few turns down the less intimidating fire slide.

Despite appreciating my surroundings, as the night raged on I doubted whether or not I would truly have the full moon party experience that I had desired. Thinking of all the friends I wished were there to share that moment with me, made it hard to completely enjoy myself. It seemed that everyone was either entirely too intoxicated to function, too absorbed with their friends, or too sleazy to be around. Then, slowly, things took a turn for the better. I can guess that it was around 12:30 am that a lone female, lost from her friends, approached me seeking the time. I didn’t have my phone or my watch and was just as curious as she, but after realizing that we were both alone, we decided to join forces and made our way to the nearest dance floor.

Within 10 min we were joined by other dancers, of which were two Argentinian guys. While one was completely sober, the other was just sober enough to hold a decent conversation without much or any annoyance. The next thing I knew, my female companion was off with a different group of people and I decided to join the guys at a bar down one of the side streets, which doubled as their hostel. HOORAY!!! This place was great! Owned by some Aussies, the vibe was chill with a décor to match. It had a lounge feel and the music was a mix of house, dub, and reggae, which was better than any DJ on the beach. With a good mix of locals (expats and Thais) as well as fellow partygoers, there were only about 15-20 people in the place, but everyone seemed to know each other and to be enjoying the scene.

It was a small place and it didn’t take long for me to find myself in conversation with two English sisters sitting on a couch adjacent to mine, facing the dance floor. The two, Lucinda and Naomi, ended up being my true Full Moon Party saviors. They were two years apart and as I had just turned 24, I was exactly between them in age. Lucinda had been there for the Full Moon Party about a year ago, which is where she had discovered the bar and made friends with the owners. She loved it so much that this year she brought her sister. They were both incredibly beautiful and insanely sweet. Finally, I had friends! We spent the rest of the night dancing, walking the beach, and enjoying each other’s company. We were having so much fun that we ended up staying out until about 7:30 am. They were staying on the north side of the island on a secluded bay, only accessibly by longboat. They invited me to stay at their place, as they had an extra bed, but with all my stuff on the other side of the island, I resolved to head back, gather my things, and meet them in a few hours.

It took about an hour to get back to my bungalow and, still rather awake, I struggled to get a few hours of sleep in before making my move to the bay. At this point, it seemed that only one of the pirates had made it back, but as I slept in the hammock outside it didn’t take long for the others to arrive. After waking me from my restless sleep, the three of them ran about between the bungalows hooting and hollering for about 30 min until they nearly passed out where they stood, leaving me to catch about another hour of sleep before I gathered my things and went away to meet the girls. Initially, I had planned on heading to the neighboring island of Koh Tao to begin a few diving courses, but I figured I could use a day of rest in good company.

Getting to the secluded bay was a bit of a struggle for someone who was  coming off of an hour or two of restless sleep and beginning to feel the pangs of a hangover, but patience is a virtue and I made it in perfect time. The girls had just woken up and had begun their day lying beside the pool. Perfect. I put my things in the amazingly clean and comfy looking room, grabbed a bite to eat, and spent the rest of the day in the pool or taking cat naps on a deck chair. The day was relaxing and I was happy to be sharing the moment in good company.

The next morning we prepared to disband. The girls were heading back home and I was heading to Koh Tao (the next island over) to begin a scuba course. I joined them in a taxi to the port on the south side of the island and we said our goodbyes. According to the ferry timetables, I had a few hours before any ferries to Koh Tao were preparing to leave so I head back to Haadrin, the scene of the party, to do a little shopping. While in the tuk tuk, I met two friends from England, Jack and Tessa, who were also planning on heading to Koh Tao, but they told me that after running around the day before and that morning they were unable to procure tickets. Everything was booked. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a ticket either. I guess I should’ve known that after the party everyone was going to take a recovery day and then try to get the hell off the island. The good news, however, was that they were hoping to find a private boat to take their group of 6 across. I exchanged Thai numbers with Jack and told them I would make my shopping trip quick and would split the cost if they were able to find something. Luckily, there was a speedboat that was willing to take us, but again, at a cost. Regardless, I had no intention of staying on Koh Phangan and wanted to begin diving as soon as possible, so I confirmed my ticket. I met the group at the port and after a quick lunch and a few delays, we were off.

KOH TAO

We got to the island at 5 pm and after realizing that most places and dive courses were already booked (duh!) we checked in at a dive resort called Ban’s. The plus was that, since I planned on taking dive instruction, my room was free for the duration of my course. I said goodbye to the crew, the last time I would see many of them, and head to my first dive meeting which began no more than 15 min into my arrival. I was happy to get things started so quickly! We sat in a classroom, did a quick course overview and watched a dive movie. Easy enough.

The next three days kept me rather busy from morning to evening with classroom and pool sessions, followed by three dives a day in the local reefs. Our group was 14 students, three dive masters, and two instructors. Most people were diving with their friends and since I was solo I was put in a group of three guys from London; Sean, Andre, and Adam. They were AWESOME! I was happy knowing that throughout the course I would have good people to spend my free time with. Technically, you’re not allowed to drink too much while diving as it coincides with the effects of the nitrogen levels in your body, so our nights were rather relaxed with card games and whatever happened to be on TV. One night, joined by Tessa (the girl from the speedboat crew) we went to a Muy Thai fight consisting of eight matches, some with Englishmen who definitely had never trained in anything other than traditional boxing. It was very entertaining and after a few broken ribs and three knock outs, we were satisfied.

The diving was great! The marine life in Koh Tao was incredible and there were so many dive sites in the area. We even did a night dive where I saw an octopus! Even more than seeing the underwater world was the amazing feeling of breathing underwater. I was living out my dream of being the little mermaid (my favorite childhood movie). Life was good. Everyone was getting along and we created a small community feel within the group. Our instructors were awesome as well. We got really lucky, as our head instructor had just been promoted to course director and had been the resorts top instructor for the past eight years. Things were so great that our entire group decided to stay a few extra days and take the advanced course, with about six of us (myself and the guys included) choosing to couple it with an enriched air course.

The week had gone by quickly and after a few group dinners and nights out, it was time to say goodbye. The guys were heading up to Pattaya for a couple of days and then making their way back to London and I was going to Bangkok. I was hoping to meet up with the them again at some point, but time and distance foiled that plan. It is weird when you meet fellow travelers at the end of their trips when you still have two to three more months of travel left! The last night was bittersweet as we all went out to celebrate our achievements, knowing that within the next two days, we will have all gone our separate ways. It is easy to meet people while traveling, but to meet people that you thoroughly enjoy is a completely different story. I was pretty bummed that I was unable to meet up with the guys again, but as it stands I now have a number of people to visit in London!

BANGKOK

There were a few of us on the bus and I ended up sharing the ride and a few days of exploring Bangkok with a Danish girl named Malous. We got in around 10 pm and after settling on a place along Khaosan road in west Bangkok we went to grab a drink with some of the other divers.

Khaosan road is a part of the city designated to the backpacker lifestyle. The streets are packed with "farang," white people, and there are bucket stands and bars EVERYWHERE. It’s cheap and easy to navigate. It is always busy and always chaotic.

The next morning Malous and I were up early (6 am) and went to see the floating market just outside of the city. It was awesome! You hop in a boat and along the canals are little shops. They pull you in and the haggling begins. It became pretty clear that their main prerogative was to sell- at any price, so it ended up being a good test to our bargaining skills. Unfortunately, the tour we were on had other locations of interest, unbeknown to us, and our time at the amazing market was cut short. We made up for it by hitting a few markets in central Bangkok so that Malous could pick up some last min items before she departed that evening.

The next couple of days were spent wandering the city, going to swanky rooftop bars downtown, and hitting wats, museums, and galleries. Many people dislike Bangkok, but I found it to be rather tolerable with quite a bit to offer. At least enough to keep me satisfied for a week.

Keanan met me in Bangkok and after a few days exploring the weekend markets and showing each other our favorite parts of the city, we booked a bus north to Chiang Mai.

Like I said, I really enjoyed Bangkok. It reminded me of big US cities and was not nearly as dirty as people have reported. There is a lot to do, even if it’s just trying out different modes of transportation; city bus, metro, boat taxi, etc.. Word of caution, however, is NEVER take a tuk tuk if you can avoid it. They will charge you almost triple of what a metered taxi costs and they are really difficult to work with. This goes for Laos as well, although there aren’t taxi’s in Laos from what I have seen (more to come on that… be patient!!!!) The taxis are great and charge the same amount no matter how many people are in the car.

Also, something I should’ve mentioned before, but is definitely an issue in Bangkok, is the Thai attitude. During my research I found many passages suggesting to always keep your cool with Thai people and when haggling do it with a smile, as forcing a Thai to “change face” or appear in conflict is very demoralizing and frowned upon. HOWEVER, even when attempting to begin, continue, and finish many conversations in a pleasant fashion, it was more common that not that from the jump I would be spoken to harshly. After experiencing this a few times, I threw my research out the window and fought fire with fire (only when absolutely necessary of course). It actually seemed to work! The good news is I didn’t have to deal with that much past Bangkok.

CHIANG MAI

The bus to Chiang Mai took 12 hours and crept north overnight. Keanan and I each got our own seats and being able to sprawl out while being front row for the Iron Man II movie showing made it a great ride.

We got in at 6 am and spent most of the day relaxing and wandering the city. The next morning we woke early, rented bicycles, and rode around. We spent some time on the Chiang Mai University campus nestled in the mountains and ended our ride at the bowling alley. The bowling alley was incredible. With only two other people there, outside of staff, it was dead, but the amenities provided were way above standard. We paid $9 for three games, shoes, and a caddy between the two of us. Our “caddy" stood beside our lane, polishing our balls after every turn, getting new weights for us to try, and celebrating our highs while consoling our lows. It was hilariously awesome. Needless to say, we went bowling twice because our experience there was so great… and who doesn’t like to bowl… with a fan club?!?

Now, our third day in Chiang Mai was a sad one. When we woke, excited to fulfill a list of activities we had planned for the day, we began to discuss budgets and travel time when Keanan realized that all of his money (a third of what he had saved for the trip) had been stolen from his pack. We traced it back to the bus from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, which is notorious for similar instances. Unfortunately, we were the victims this time. Keanan had also gotten his wallet stolen a couple weeks prior, so he was out of luck when it came to money. Outside of the three to five days’ worth of cash he had in his pocket, he had nothing. 

After tearing apart the room in the hopes of finding the lost dough, we spent the day inside; spending money didn’t seem like an option. By the evening Keanan had come to terms with his loss and decided that with a budget and some forethought he would be able to stick it out until the end of the trip. He made the proper arrangements with his family back home and we got back to exploring the city and making plans for our next move.

The next day was incredible. We picked up where we left off in our list of activities and head north of the city to the Tiger Kingdom, tiger sanctuary, where you can play with tigers of various ages and sizes. We both chose to play with the bigger kitties (18mo.) and the staff brought us to a caged area where four large tigers lay in separate enclosures. I was in heaven. You could cuddle up with these huge beasts and play with their paws and tails. I was channeling another Disney character this time; princess Jasmine.

With our spirits lifted we went back to the city and planned our travels into Laos and the following morning we were off through beautiful mountain roads to the border town of Chiang Kong.

Chiang Mai was an awesome city, where Thai hippies and outdoorsmen thrive. The mountains to the west provide a beautiful border to the city and the cafes, bars, and restaurants are enough to keep your palate satisfied. Spending more time there than initially anticipated, I could’ve spent more had future endeavors not been calling. Although not too upset about not making it farther north to the city of Chiang Rai, I would suggest finding a way to see the White Temple in between the two. Fellow travelers stories and pictures made me regretful of missing it. The temple is more of a modern art piece than a place of worship with great sculptures and paintings. Inside there are paintings of the twin towers being hit with a collage of images such as superheroes like Spiderman, BP gasoline terror, etc.. Look into it!

THAILAND

Alright guys! We are almost there. Hope you enjoy the beginning of Thailand as much as I did!

PHUKET

We landed in Phuket midday of April 13, which just so happened to be the eve of the Thai New Year, known as Songkran. For me, it was imperative that we make it to Thailand by this day as Songkran consists of one massive water fight. HEAVEN! I can’t say that Keanan was all that excited, but trust me, his perception changed quickly. We were staying in Phuket Town, an hour drive from the airport, and throughout the entire drive we watched groups of people congregating on the sides of the street or in the beds of pickup trucks with drums full of water and super soakers, wetting each other and everything before them. I was elated.

Songkran festivities

We found a quiet and clean guesthouse close to the bus station and as we were settling in I was watching the festivities unfold from the balcony above the street. At one point I saw a group of at least 10 westerners packed into the bed of a pickup truck armed with drums of water and all sorts of water-firing artillery driving down the road. I couldn’t help but be jealous! What a brilliant way to celebrate, they definitely had the right idea.

Shortly after, Keanan and I hit the streets to join in the fun. As luck would have it, no more than 10 min into our walk, we happened upon the group I had seen from our balcony. They had created a gauntlet of doom, flanking both sides of the street, joined by locals, dousing everyone and everything in their paths. Keanan and I walked the catwalk and immediately went from dry to soaking wet. They were ruthless (in the best of ways, of course). We thanked them for the showers and ended up becoming honorary members of their brigade.

As it turns out, they are all crew members on a 100ft yacht, owned by a billionaire- the richest man in Israel. They hailed from all around the world; New Zealand, Australia, England, South Africa, Canada, etc.. With their accommodations and food completely covered, and their paychecks tax-free, some of them had been circumnavigating the globe on this yacht for over four years! I don’t blame them. On this particular tour, they had already spent two months in Sri Lanka, two months in the Maldives, and had been docked in Thailand awaiting their next assignment while enjoying themselves to the fullest. WHAT A LIFE!
Nevertheless, we ended our mission at a local bar where shots and drinks were flowing just as vigorously as the buckets of water had been an hour before. Luckily for us, and our livers, the boat crew had an early morning the next day, so we were cut loose before any real damage occurred. Being on a budget and not having a real reason to drink ourselves under the table, our tolerance was nowhere near where it used to be in DC. We just saw it as a welcomed detox for our systems and our wallets :)

Fisherman village

The alcohol provided us with the deep sleep we needed to wake early the next morning for a tour of Ao Phang-nga National Park, an area of the mainland just north of Phuket Island. We were grouped with three Thai travelers; one woman named Meow, and another man and woman whose names have escaped me. Phang-nga is a bay area spotted with limestone karsts jutting out from the clear blue waters. The tour was entirely by longboat and began by winding through a long channel of water with dense mangroves on either side. The sky was bright and clear and in the distance you could see the enormous limestone formations rising above the trees. As we wound between the forests, through caves and alongside the karsts, we eventually came out to an opening where a small fishing village had settled above the water, their huts on stilts, sheltered by the limestone. All around us and along the horizon were islands of limestone; it was unlike anything I had ever seen. Its beauty too broad to be captured by a single photograph.

James Bond Island

The tour lead us to a couple of large stationary boats where we transitioned to inflated canoe-like rafts, manned by local Thai guides. For roughly 45 min we were taken under, through, and around the limestone caverns; cooling our feet in the still water. From there we went back to our longboat and went to an island where another of the James Bond movies was filmed (The Man with the Golden Gun). After snapping photos that hardly do the place justice, we finished our tour by heading to the village for a quick snack before returning back to the mainland. The day had been extremely satisfactory and when we returned to Phuket Town, we found that the city was still busy celebrating the New Year and large parties with music and gushing water were underway.

On our final day in Phuket we went to the coast to check out the beach scene. Huge mistake. It was like Myrtle Beach on crack. A carnival of people everywhere. Even the extremely long beach was at capacity with chairs, towels, and bodies covering 99% of the sand between the street and the water. We patted ourselves on the back for choosing to stay in Phuket Town, even if there seemed to be less to do there. In this case, less was definitely more.

We left Phuket on the fourth day and head to the island of Koh Phi Phi.

KOH PHI PHI

Koh Phi Phi and is much like its quieter, smaller, and less inhabited sister. Like I said, it was heaven. Luckily, we were just hitting the beginning of the slow season and the island, which is normally packed with party-goers, was much quieter; allowing us to enjoy all the different sides of the island in our one night stay.

Keanan spent the day seeking out accommodation for him and his friends in preparation for a bachelor party getaway that was scheduled to descend on the island in six days’ time. While he was doing that, I wandered the island and came upon a distant beach, Long Beach, which was only accessibly by longboat or through forested paths. However, it was extremely hot and after sometime, even the water was not enough to provide me with a cool escape. I had to head back to a shower and some time under a fan. On my way back I ran into Keanan and we returned together to refresh ourselves and to enjoy the nightlife Koh Phi Phi had to offer.

We began the night at a Reggae bar, which doubled as a Muy Thai arena, and discothèque. There, we watched trained fighters, as well as random volunteers, duke it out for glory and free buckets (literal buckets filled with your choice of alcohol and mixer- a specialty of Thailand). After watching women, children, and horribly unfit men enter the ring, we had had our fill and meandered along the beach to find another form of stimulation. To my delight we came across a bar with a beachside dance floor playing great dubstep jams. As usual, Keanan and I started the dance party and spent the rest of the evening enjoying this diamond in the rough. Boy, do I miss that place and looking back, wish I would’ve had one more night there.

The next morning we debated and decided to spend the eve of my birthday and our last night together (before we split ways for a two week span) on the mainland in Railay Bay, a peninsula off the city of Krabi. Railay Bay is surrounded by steep cliffs and is known for its world class rock climbing. We arrived in the early evening and checked into a wonderful resort. It was our first, and my only, resort like accommodation and feeling the comforts of class was a most welcomed treat. Happy birthday to me! *Thanks to Keanan, of course.

The bay was small and beautiful and as it just so happened, our arrival came on the last night of their international rock climbing competition. The beach was alive with music, lights, and numerous food stands. We spent the night walking up and down, eating and swaying to the music. A party just for me?! I blush ;)

The next morning, my birthday, was bitter sweet as Keanan and I packed our things and prepared to return to Krabi only to split ways; Keanan heading to Bangkok to prepare for his friends arrival and I to the island of Koh Phangan, on the gulf side, for the world famous full moon party. Unfortunately, this journey ended up being much more expensive than anticipated, but hey, it was my birthday and if I won’t treat myself then, when will I?

It began with our longboat taxi driver refusing to take only Keanan and I across, resulting in a long wait time hoping that other passengers would come to expedite the process. When we finally got to the mainland it was only to find that I had missed the last bus to the port at the city of Surat Thani, which meant that I would not be able to get to Koh Phangan until the next day; thus, missing the full moon party. This answer was not acceptable and my only option was to rent a private car and driver to get me to the dock in time to catch the ferry. I was left with the decision to shell out the cash or spend my birthday in a ghost town, alone, with nothing to do and nowhere to go. I chose the former. Within 15 min I had said goodbye to Keanan and was on my way. It was weird being on my own for the first time in two months, but I was filled with excitement for what lay ahead of me.

INDONESIA- Bali and the Gili Islands

We landed in Denpasar, Bali on a beautiful sunny day and were met by friends, James and his girlfriend Lita, at the airport. James and Keanan had worked together at Science Club and James has been living in Bali for about five years. They were extremely accommodating and had hooked us up with a room at their friend’s, Regina’s, house. The house was in the Canngu/Kerobokan area, about 10 min north of Seminyak (where all the shops, bars and restaurants are) and roughly 30 min west of Denpasar. Regina had been looking for someone to rent a room, so it worked out perfectly. She is incredibly sweet and made a great roommate! The house itself was fantastic. When you walk into the main gate there is a space to park the motor bikes (we had one, too) and on the right side was a path to the courtyard. In between the courtyard and the entrance was our room, standing alone, and attached to an open air living space with a big chair and TV. Across the courtyard from us were the open air kitchen, Regina’s room, spare room, bathroom, and laundry room. We were in a beautiful and quite neighborhood where roads to Seminyak were flanked by rice patties. How lucky we were to have such hospitable and fun friends and a great place to stay right off the bat!



Dinner with James and Lita



The walkway, living room, and our room

The entrance to our room

The stone design on the living room wall

Our garden and Regina's room

Kitchen, laundry, and hallway to the bathroom and other bedrooms

We spent three weeks living in that house, going to the beach, learning to surf, going out dancing and drinking (a nightlife we never had in India), watching soccer matches, and making great friends. Bali itself was incredible. The people were very nice, the food was delicious, and the scenery was out of this world. I am convinced that Indonesian skies and sunsets are impossible to beat. The only downside was that, due to it being the end of their rainy season, much of the runoff from Bali and Jakarta had caused a few of the beaches to be filled with trash. The best beaches were further out of the city and proved to be great day retreats.

Soul Sista party with Regina and friends

Late night party time after Soul Sista event

Karaoke crew

Amazing fresh seafood dinner on the beaches of Jimbaran

At the opening of the W Hotel in Bali- so fance!

One of our many nights at the Cave

Towards the end of our stay, Keanan and I decided to take five days to go to the Gili Islands. The Gili’s are a string of three islands that come off the northwest side of Lombok, the next main island east of Bali. From west to east the islands are named Gilli Tarwangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air. Tarwangan is the most developed tourism wise, Meno is the smallest of the three and has very little to offer in terms of nightlife, and Air is the calmer version of Tarwangan with a larger local population. All three are absolutely beautiful. They are surrounded by marine life and definitely had the laid back island feel. Adding to the uniqueness of the islands is the fact that they have no police or law system in place. All matters are taken up with village heads that act as island mayors. The system has been working there for years and we were lucky enough to share a drink with the current village head of Tarwangan on our second night!

Our first two nights were spent on Tarwangan where we ran into a friend, Atu, who we had met in Bali. She was there looking at property and introduced us to her “island guide” and all around keeper of the peace, Made (Mah-day). It was great spending time with them, but Atu left after the first day and after two days we were ready to check out the other islands. Made arranged everything and even met us in the morning to send us off.

Nature on Tarwangan

Nature shot #2

Sunset with volcanoes to the west

Sunrise with volcanoes to the east

Made! He let Keanan get behind the bar and make some tasty cocktails!

Our first stop was Meno. The boat ride took about 20 min and as soon as we had secured accommodation we were in search of a beach to spend the day soaking in the sun and scenery. We were in luck and happened across a stretch of beach that provided us with a day of bright skies, vibrant waters, and all the privacy we could ask for. In the seven hours we spent playing on the beach, we only saw four people. After our day at the beach, we spent the beginning of our evening walking through the middle of the island where the locals live. That was a day of pure bliss. Everything was better than expected and Indonesia blessed us with unforgettable memories. It has been one of the best days of the trip without a doubt.

Paradise and our private beach combined

Private beach shot #2

Private beach shot #3

The next day, high on life, we took another ferry over to Air. We came upon a great bungalow and after setting up camp, we went on a tour of the island. It was somewhat of an overcast day, but the greys, blues, greens, and purples still had a way of illuminating our surroundings. We spent much of the day snorkeling and wandering about empty beaches. Watching the sunset over the horizon from the porch of our bungalow was a special treat. Looking out onto volcanoes on both sides of the straight and watching the world drift by into night was a luxury I felt lucky to have. It reminded me just how far from home I was and how different this world was from anything I had ever known. Amazing.

Relaxing on the porch of our bungalow

Going back to Bali from the Gili’s almost felt like going back to reality- until I realized that we were still traveling and every day is an adventure of its own.

Unfortunately, our time in Indonesia ended before we were ready to leave. Being such an unbelievable place, I am positive I will be back. I really feel as though we barely scratched the surface of all the wonders of Indonesia. The next time around cannot come soon enough! As you can imagine, I cannot recommend traveling to Indonesia enough. Yes, a flight may be expensive, but it will be worth every penny and more. This should mean something coming from someone who really only saw a sliver of what the country had to offer. DO IT!!!!!!

Udaipur - Jaisalmer - Rishikesh

And I'm back with a game changer! I just purchased a netbook so I can keep the updates coming more regularily. I'm trying to get this up to speed so I can bring you all into real time. The present is just too good to be told as the past. But, I can't skip over the other goodies, so I will try to be equally brief and thorough in my recaps.


UDAIPUR


Getting off the plane I was met by Keanan and we took a taxi back into town. It was an automatic feeling of relief and relaxation to get out of the big city life. While in Udaipur, Keanan had gained a good rapport with the owners of our guesthouse and they all gave me an extremely warm welcome. It was really nice to be met with smiling faces instead of unpleasant stares. That evening Keanan took me to his usual dining rooftop at the Panorama Hotel. After, we walked around and watched a bit of a wedding celebration. March is the wedding season in India and every night there are tons of celebrations happening in every city (some of the weddings Joe went to in Delhi were so extravagant that $500,000 was spent on the first of the five nights of celebration).

View from Panorama

The groom

Udiapur is located in southern Rajasthan and sits among a valley that surrounds a large lake. In the middle and east side of the lake are two palaces as well as the Monsoon Palace on top of a hill to the west which gives Udaipur its fame (outside of the fact that the James Bond Octopussy movie was filmed there). All of the buildings had wonderful rooftops for sunset viewing and life was serene.

Rooftop Fun

More sunset views

You can see the Monsoon Palace in the distance

 The next day Keanan had a case of "Delhi belly" and we spent most of our time in the room. Our room was bright and colorfully painted and it was actually nice to have nothing to do but read and watch the monkeys play on the trees and vines outside our window.

On our last day, Billu, our tuk-tuk driver took us on a tour of Udaipur and the surrounding area. We went to the City Palace, a few parks, burial grounds, an art school, and puppet museum. And after the tour we went to a dance performance. Keanan took most of the pictures this day, so below are a few of the ones I got.

The City Palace

Posing at the burial grounds

More burial domes

Incredibly creepy man dressed as a woman dancing with traditional water containers on his head

After the show, we head to the bus station to take our sleeper bus to Jaisalmer in western Rajasthan.


JAISALMER


Now, for those who have been following along, I remind you of my caution against sleeper buses. My reasoning will now be explained.

After my horrendous bus experience from Delhi to Agra I was completely disinterested in taking another bus, but Keanan had the same feeling towards trains after his 22 hour ride from Mumbai to Udaipur, so I gave in and we booked a 12 hour overnight bus. Hey, sleeping through the night can't be that bad, right? WRONG!

You should've seen our faces. What started as excitement when climbing into the last sleeper bunk, quickly turned to frustration and nausea. Trying to sleep was impossible. The turns had us sliding up and down and from side to side in our already traction-less sleeping bags. On top of that, each bump sent us flying into the air. I kid you not, at times I was at least one foot above my bed. There is no getting used to that. Not to mention... having to pee... this was hell. So, I repeat, SKIP THE SLEEPER BUSES AT ALL COSTS. However, if this is impossible, be sure that your designated car is not at the end of the bus where all bumps and turns are amplified.

Nevertheless, we made it to Jaisalmer in the morning and were welcomed by a friend of our guesthouse keeper (Harry) in Udaipur. Apparently Harry had called ahead to make sure we had a reliable person there to help us find proper accommodations.

Jaisalmer is a desert city which is centered in a huge fort. The fort which was once used to house and protect the city still has guesthouses, businesses, and restaurants opperating inside. We found a guesthouse in the fort and booked a camel safari into the desert for the next day. The rest of the day was spent exploring, calling it an early night to make up for the lack of sleep we got on the bus.

The next day the safari started with a 45 min jeep ride into the desert where were met by a guide and camels. The group consisted of a guide, Betty (from Mexico), Juan (from Argentina), Keanan, and I.

Well, hello to you too! Keanan's camel is in the front

My little Papaya

The safari was a three day, two night excursion. We rode for 2 hours in the morning, stopping where we found shade around noon when the sun was the hottest. During our break we would rest under a tree and walk the dunes and arid grasslands while the guides would make us lunch. We ate dhal, potatoes, and lots of chapati!

After lunch we would ride the camels for another hour or two, coming upon small villages, until we found a proper place to camp. We would all hang out, talk, explore, and prepare for dinner. Sitting around the campfire learning the proper way to make chapati (desert style) was a great experience. It was amazing to see how they cook and clean with very little resources. Definitely tips to take with me for my future camping trips.

Dinner time

Camel in the distance

We slept on mats under the stars, shielding our faces of the light rain drops that fell both nights. The rain, however, was not much of a problem as we just covered our faces with our scarves. It was incredible to see such clear skies in pure darkness.

After the three days in the desert, we head back to Jaisalmer to rinse out all the sand that had nestled in our hair and creavases and bought a train ticket to Rishikesh, a holy city straddeling the Ganges River just north of Delhi. We were gone the next day

Jaisalmer was fun, despite not spending much time in the city. With more time I would have given it one more day, but again, the husstle was getting to us. The camel safari was an amazing break from it all and was well worth the trip.

RISHIKESH

We hit the road to Rishikesh looking forward to the different landscape and happy to make the most of our last leg in India. On the way we met a boy named Hari (who called himself Hari Potter) from a town near Agra who was traveling with an American named Karuna. Karuna was born in Minneapolis, grew up in Iowa (poor guy) and has been living in California. They were both great and we ended up spending much of our time in Rishikesh with them, although, Hari had never had a TV so much of his time was spent in his room glued to the tube.

Karuna and Hari

Rishikesh was beautiful; straddling the Ganges River and sitting at the foothills of the Himalayas. It is considered as a very holy city and is a place of pilgrimage for many. There are also numerous yoga and meditation ashrams for students and teachers. Automatically the vibe was much more relaxed. No hassling and little hustling.

The Ganges

A day or two into our stay we decided to hike through the mountains (10km one way) to a Hanuman (The monkey god) ashram in the valley. The uphill hike was long and hot, but very rewarding. It took us about 3 hours to get to the town and we had gone up and over and around a mountain side to get there. The Ashram was on the far side of the small town at the top of a hill looking over the valley. It was small and two minutes after peaking around, a man appeared and walked us through the spiritual rituals. After eating some rock candy, drinking some holy water, getting a bindi on our forehead, and prayer bracelet, we began our trek back to Rishikesh. This was our first ashram experience in India.

The next morning I tried yoga for the first time. It was a little nerve racking being in a class at an ashram with people who had been spending weeks or months there doing yoga and meditating, but I think I did well holding my own. The only downfall was that the swami there was rather creepy and left me feeling too uncomfortable to return, and thus my desire to do more yoga was lost.

Snake charmer outside of our guesthouse



Outside of our days relaxing around the guesthouse with Karuna and Hari, we also went to the now closed Mahirishi Ashram and to a town called Missouri to see the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. The Mahirishi Ashram was spectacular and definitely one of the highlights of the trip. It has been closed for some time and the buildings and grounds have all become grown over and decrepit. It is said that the Beatles spent months at the Ashram while it was open and wrote much of their White album there. Being free to explore made me feel like we were part of an Indiana Jones movie. Going wherever we liked- even on the roof tops of the old guest houses! It was incredible.

Meditation/OM domes

Keanan inside the dome

Old buildings

The Himalayas were also a great way to end our time in Rishikesh. The four of us hired a car and went through the mountains to Missouri. From the road along the way we could see the snow-caps. It was so rewarding, as being so close and not seeing them would have been quite the disappointment. To get the best views, we stopped at ashram that was at the peak of one of the foothills. The trail to the top was long, steep, and hot, but it was worth it.

The next day we were on our way back to Delhi to catch a flight to Bali. Rishikesh was a great end point for our time in India. It left us feeling more relaxed and with a positive outlook on the country. The food, people (outside of the swami), and terrain were all great. If I were ever to return to India, I would love to do more exploration of the north.