All Good Things Must Come to an End

The blogs have been non existent recently as the internet has been slow at best and non existant at worst. Visiting small islands can have it's draw backs such as limited ferry service, no availability of ATMs, electricity at only certain hours of the day and fans instead of AC but it can also have the most rewarding of experiences. A few of the islands we visited included:

Kho Lanta (see http://youtu.be/yCcjZCbYhnI) Originally we were going to stay for three nights but ended up spending a week there. One of the days we rented a scooter. I was the driver and Jennifer was the cinematographer ( see http://youtu.be/Z9-owm1f0Bo ) It's a small world as we met a girl from Havelock (a small town near home) who went to school with our youngest son Tyler and her boyfriend who is best buddies with Jennifer's nephew from Pointe Claire.

Ko Mook (see http://youtu.be/p5fWRFj80NE ) We stayed four nights and walked across the island at least three times. It was our first experience with a rubber tree gathering plantation on this island which is inhabitated primarily by Muslims with little to no english being spoken. Much time was spent watching the sunsets with our new drink of choice, Mo Jitos MMMMmmmm. We felt a little out of our comfort zone but made the best of it

Kho Lipe (see http://youtu.be/zZYzujEynlg) Well worth the trip as this island is the last in the Thai chain in the Adaman Sea and about 20 km. north of  the Malaysia border. Feeling far away from home as we were at least half way around the globe. The beaches and snorkling were the best we have ever experienced when we hired a longtail for the day to do a regional tour. The live coral was amazing as was the island we visited with the unique black rock. No souvenirs here if you believe in the curse and superstitions.

Kho Hai (see http://youtu.be/kjdig0_UbFE ) We saved the best for last. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at this reclusive island hideaway. Great jungle trekking to find an abandoned beach which was just wonderful. I took advantage of the "au naturel" setting, however I did keep a lookout for the cast and crew of Survivor. Eyes always in the back of my head, never knowing when a Boa might strike.

It was a long way home but we made the best of it as we were upgraded to Business Class for our return trip. From sleeping on thin to non existent train matresses or in a firetrap hotel in Hanoi to sipping champagne and full reclining beds on a Boeing 777, we experienced feast to famine.

Next journey you ask? Don't know yet but South Africa sounds pretty enticing. We'll keep you posted. Great to be back home!!!!

THANKS FOR READING AND ALL THE ENCOURAGING EMAILS!!!

Ian and Jennifer

Life is a Beach

Memo to: Brad, Wes and Tyler

Mom and I need to have a serious discussion with the three of you. We have decided unanimously, that we will not be returning to Canada. As I write this, Mom is having a $4 per hour Thai massage at the local bamboo beach hut and I am quaffing down a cold quart of  Singha beer at the local beach bar while watching the parade of blonde Swedish girls strut down the beach in bikinis. Paperwork will be forthcoming to allow you to sell the house and send proceeds directly to HSBC branch in Kao Lanta.

We have been in the south for about two weeks now and things keep getting better and better. After moving down the coast from Patong we ended up at Karon Beach. Just a magnificent stretch of prime Thailand real estate. The swimming and walking on the beach was fabulous and the people watching very interesting as well as can be witnessed by my 1st Youtube video http://youtu.be/MOMEVehiwC4

We eventually succumbed to curiosity and decided on the daily excursion to James Bond Island which was the site of an infamous scene starring Roger Moore in The Man with the Golden Gun. One of those things you have to do but not one that needs repeating. Kayaking through caves in darkness into a mango grove was also on the agenda at another stop. Good thing we didn't know about this ahead of time as we had to lie down in order to pass through a150 meter cave before reaching the mango grove which was surrounded by high volcanic walls encompassing this unique ecosystem. We had to get out of there quickly as the tide was to start to rise and we would have been trapped with no way out as the caves would eventually become completely flooded.

After spending the following day back at Karon Beach we headed out to catch the 1 1/2 hour ferry to Phi Phi. Unfortunately, Phi Phi which was a beacon for adventure travellers 20 years ago has become a destination for unruly, arrogant, drunken backpackers who party at the all night raves, with music blaring till 3 am. It is a haven for massage parlours but the thing I found most disturbing was the number of both male and female subjects getting large and grotesque tattoos over large parts of their body by the seemingly limitless number of tattoo artists plying their trade with bamboo needles and no respect for any health safeguards. These places are ripe for hepatitis outbreaks but no one seems to care.

All that being said though, Phi Phi was the location for one of the most memorable outings I have ever experienced in my lifetime. After breakfast in the morning, Jennifer and I went for a walkabout and happened on one of the local long tail boat captains who was trying to sell an excursion to another island, Phi Phi Lay and a trip to Bamboo Island, in addition to a circumnavigation of Phi Phi Don. We bit the bait and agreed to meet back at 10 am. At first I was somewhat concerned about our boat on the open sea but my concerns were soon put to rest as we approached the magnificent walls of rock jutting out of the sea. Absolutely spectacular! And the swimming and snorkelling with the tropical fish wasn't bad either! See 2nd video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGaZh_zIkYw These cliffs were also home to some form of seabird and the locals would scale these magnificent walls by bamboo scaffolding poles through caves in order to reach the bird nests where the eggs would be hijacked for the rich Chinese looking for some form of medical cure. After spending the morning here, our captain ferried us across the strait for our luncheon destination at Relax Beach. Just a wonderful find at a small isolated area where life was taking a breather and the pace was slow to stop. Back into the long tail, we were off again on just a beautiful afternoon to take in the Marine Natural Park at Bamboo Island. And that’s where it hit me that I had finally found what I had been looking for! Just the most pristine beach and the most sparkling water one could find anywhere. The brochures hadn't lied to me after all and the swimming and snorkeling was absolutely incredible. See my third video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66usQY8qzn8 We didn't spend nearly enough time there but alas we still had a way to go to get back to Phi Phi Don and our trip back around the other side. We both excitedly agreed all night long that it had been one of the most amazing experiences ever.

Glad to bid adieu to the backpackers but sorry to say goodbye to Phi Phi we were back on another ferry two days hence, after having spent the following day just lying around the hotel pool. We were on our way to Ko Lanta. I'll talk about that on my next entry.

The Amazing Race

It’s going to be a 48 hour mad dash. I feel like we are about to audition for the television show “Amazing Race” It’s Friday February 17 in Cambodia and we have to be somewhere in southern Thailand by Sunday. No plane reservation, no hotel reservation and no idea of what we are doing. We leave Siem Reap, Cambodia by bus, headed for the Thailand border. It’s off the bus at the border, unload the backpacks into a little wooden cart being pushed by who knows who, with the good faith we’ll see our bags again sometime within the next hour or so on the other side of the crossing. We clear Cambodia customs, walk across a no man’s land and are processed by Thai officials before loading onto yet another minivan (bags loaded) for the dash to Bangkok. Arriving in Bangkok we immediately head for the internet café to find a flight and book a hotel for the next day. We are in luck! Air Asia the following afternoon to Phuket and we managed to find space at a hotel which was recommended by a couple of our fellow travellers who had spent some time there a few weeks prior. Later that evening we meet with our group, for the last supper, atop the tallest building in Thailand, on the 86^th floor for a panoramic view of the city on the revolving deck.

We negotiate our fare to the airport the following morning, arrive in Phuket later that afternoon, then negotiate another 1 hour cab ride to Patong Beach to check into our hotel around 5 pm or about 33 hours after having left Siem Reap. All the hustle and bustle was well worth it as we were greeted upon check in with cold, moist face cloths, neatly rolled up and a most refreshing mug of very cold pomegranate juice. MMMmmm good. Then to find out we had been upgraded to a magnificent room with sitting area and a balcony with a fabulous view of Patong Bay and the Adaman Sea. Then it was a walk to the resort jetty and a jump into crystal clear, warm waters, teeming with all sorts of colourful tropical fish. Sunset and a cold beer at the jetty bar was the perfect caption to a hectic but rewarding day.

The next day up at seven, then ordered by Jennifer to drop what I was doing and come quickly. There cruising into the bay sailed a luxury cruise ship which was laying anchor about a mile offshore. The day was spent at leisure between the pool, sea bathing and bar hopping which seemed like a just reward for our first 33 consecutive days on the road.

The following morning was spent with a walkabout along the sandy beach of Patong Bay (see my youtube video   http://youtu.be/YddSZ-zYppA ) and a leisure lunch at one of the local beach restaurants. Dinner was at what I think was the most elegant setting I have ever experienced, at our hotel’s Italian restaurant. A table for two at the water’s edge. The sea was lit up by floodlights and the most enjoyable Italian dinner I have ever had as both the service and presentation were impeccable.

The following morning we spoke with one of the guests who had been coming to this hotel for over the past 30 years. She was able to give us some insight and anecdotes to the tsunami which roared into this bay, creating death and destruction on December 26, 2004. Amazing story and even more amazing, to be here. Check another box on the “bucket list”.