Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

My First Taste of Thailand

First Stop: Samui

I arrived in Thailand towards the end of December, after the semester ended, exhausted and cold. Rather then spending time in Bangkok, a place that I would come to love over the years, I headed straight for an island where I would be able to rest and warm up. Not knowing where to go I first headed to Lamai, but left after one day and moved northward to Bophut. Of all the places to stay on Samui it is still my favorite. The people are generous and kind, and it lacks the commercialism of other places.




A short distance from Bophut is Big Buddha Beach and, of course, the Big Guy. You can actually see him from the air when you fly to the island. There are some other statues around (notably guardian figures, other Buddha images, and several statues of dead monks). While it is a bit showy there is stll much to be said for the glorious view when you walk up to the top.




Aside from relaxing and sleeping (a lot) I explored parts of the island. Some of the interior water falls are gorgeous and a great place to kick back and just be quiet.




There is also a boat trip to a marine park leaving from Bophut. Motion sickness aside, it was a great way to spend a day. The boat left early in the morning and called upon several islands over the course of the day.




At one stop you could even walk up a very narrow and steep path to the top of one of the mountains and see an absolutely beautiful fresh water lake. Despite the few moments where I felt as if I was going to get stuck in the rock passage I had a good time.




One of the wonderful things about traveling is the people that you meet along the way. Werner, Steve and Dodie (from Switzerland) were a lot of fun to be with. Life is a series of adventures and experiences. It was with them that I first rode on a motorcylce without a helmet. In retrospect it probably was not one of the most intelligent things that I have ever done, but it was a lot of fun (despite the straw hair that I had at the end of the day).




Heading North to Chiang Mai

I spent almost three weeks on Samui before I reluctantly left and made my way back to Bangkok. I took the ferry crossing to the mainland, something I will never hopefully do again, and then a bus to the capital. From there I headed to the train station. It was late at night when I arrived and I ended up getting a hotel room nearby as I did not feel comfortable hanging out in the station. This was one of the few times that I was not having a good time in Thailand. Thankfully everything improved when I got on the train and headed north to Chiang Mai. Although the country may appear small on a map (as Korea does too) it takes hours and hours to get to some places. The trip was almost 12 hours long. I traveled in a lower berth (with fan) car. Compared to the prices for a train in North America this was exceptionally cheap. While it was light I enjoyed looking out the window at the passing scenery.



No, this was not where I stayed.While in the city I walked around looking at the sights and discovered the prison where my map said a museum should have been located. I must have presented a hillarious picture to the guards in the tower as I was walking around the perimeter and trying to figure out where I had gone astray. Finally one of the guards came out and asked me if I wanted to come in. While his offer was tempting (read: NOT) I declined and just wrote seeing the museum off my list of things to do and went and saw something else.



One of the most impressive sights in Thailand are the numerous temples, many of which are really covered in gold, that are absolutely beautiful. I could not even begin to imagine the hours that it took to make the doors, or many other parts of the building. The workmanship was exquisite and exceptionally detailed.



In order to get around the city there were several modes of transportation. A tuk tuk, while not exactly the safest vehicle, was one of the cheapest. I never took one when I was in Bangkok but the traffic and pollution levels in Chiang Mai were lower and it really is fun, when you relax AND hold on.



Many temples have guardians at the doorway. The Nega (a creature believed to live in the Mekong) is depicted in many places. At first I thought it was a dragon but it would appear to be in a league of its own. I really like them.




Chiang Mai is a blend of the old, the very old, and the new. Some places are preserved and others not as much.




Attention to the past is something that Thai people seem to spend much time, and effort, on. There are representations of historical figures everywhere. This was the "Three Kings" monument.



Doors, windows, and entire buildings catch your eye as you walk along the main streets and side streets.




The Requisite Trek

It has been said that you do not fully experience Thailand if you do not go on a trek. For those who know me well, they would appreciate that while I love to walk, I am not overly fond of mountain climbing. I did want to experience treking though and in a limited fashion, did so. It was a one day affair with more than enough to do that you were tired at the end. I am fascinated by what nature often creates and this tree caught and held my attention for several minutes.



I also like animals but would really prefer not to get very close to some of those that I encountered along the way. This guy was, apparently, as interested in me as I was in him. Perhaps it was just because I was hungry at the time.



We went to several villages over the course of the day. It was difficult to see the poverty at times and made me more than aware of the lifestyle that I often take for granted. The Karen long neck people were more than accustomed to having "farangs" trapse through their community. I didn't feel comfortable and felt even less so when I discovered that the practice of placing heavy metal rings around the women's necks is continued today mainly because of the money that is generated through the tourist trade.



The Golden Triangle was interesting to see even though it was mostly places to shop. I didn't go into Myanmar this time and I just looked out at Laos from Thailand's side of Mekong river. What I most remember about this place were the destitute people begging on the street. I swear I saw children that could have walked out of a book written by Dickens.



Elephant camps can be seen in many places in Thailand. I even decided that I, too, would ride one of them. There were pictures of me on one particular monster but I have decided pictures showing myself scared stiff shall not be found on these pages.



This cute little fellow is MY idea of the perfect elephant. He wasn't too big to stomp on me, or too strong at this age that my arm would be in jeopardy from being pulled. I was busy on my first trip to the land of Thai. I saw many things, met many people, and developed what would come to be a great appreciation for this land and its people.