Text Version: We were excited to be moving on to Thailand and Laos  - two countries whose cultures were completely different from our own.

In Thailand we did the things that most visitors do – we visited the ornate temples of Bangkok; we relaxed on the beautiful beaches in the south; we dove the undersea world of the Simlan Islands; and we even went on an elephant trek.

Our true goal for this part of the trip was to visit places most people don’t and experience the culture up close and personal.  We started with a visit to Khao Lak – the area of Thailand most affected by the tsunami of 2004.  And even though it had been almost three years, there were still visible reminders of the waves destruction.

By scooter we headed up the coast to witness for ourselves the three reminders of that day that greatly stood out.  2km inland sits an enormous police boat that was patrolling the waters that day, protecting the King’s grandson who was jet skiing.  And further up the coast sit two more boats.  One is known as the Red Devil, because it caused the most destruction of any fishing boat, destroying everything in its path as well as taking dozens of lives.  And the other is the Blue Angel, which a Burmese sailor was able to navigate through the town, caused no destruction and even saved two people in the water who were able to cling to its side.

We also decided to do a home stay in the small Muslim village of Tung Nang Dam, population 130.  Our host, P’Noi, was gracious to welcome us into her home and share her life with us.  And despite a language barrier, we were able to help her with her many projects, including one that hopes to replenish the orchid population in the forest.   We were also able to assist with feeding the goats as well as learning how to cook some local cuisine.  This experience greatly pushed us out of our comfort zones and made a lasting, and positive, impression on us both.

After being on the go for so long, we decided to spend our remaining time in Laos.  The French-colonial town of Luang Prabang oozed charm and was a perfect spot to unwind and still take in the culture.  The peacefulness of the early morning fog was a great backdrop to witness hundreds of monks receive their daily alms.  And during a two-day hill tribe trek, we felt like we were literally on top of the world staying in a local Hmong village – a place where very few foreigners visit.  It was yet another experience that pushed us out of our comfort zone but was one of the most memorable of the trip.

And this is where our travels would end – at least for the time being.  Nine weeks on the road only made us hungrier for more.

You can read more about our experience in individual Thailand and Laos posts.

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We left the quiet windy roads of New Zealand, where we were greeted by sheep at every turn, to the tuk-tuk filled traffic of Bangkok, where the King’s smiling face looked down at us from billboards, banners, and even buildings.  Bangkok travel would definitely prove to be a completely different experience.

Having arrived late afternoon, we decided to fight off travel lag by exploring the Suan Lum Night Bazaar for Michael’s first market experience in Thailand. Rows upon rows were filled with fabrics, t-shirts, carvings and jewelry, among hundreds of items. But bargaining would wait for another day as we headed to the open beer garden for Thai food and beer.

It was not a late night by any means as we were to rest up for our big day ahead. With just one full day in Bangkok before heading south, we had to be sure to get in the “must see’s”: The Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha; Wat Pho, home of the massive Reclining Buddha; and Wat Arun – the Temple of Dawn.

Grand Palace Photos

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The Grand Palace is a massive complex covering 61 acres, and its numerous temples and buildings reach dramatically up into the sky, offering colorful and expansive views that are difficult to capture on film or video. And within the complex is Wat Phra Kaeo, considered the holiest Buddhist site in the country and home to the most important image, the Emerald Buddha. You could easily spend hours meandering around the complex.

Wat Pho Photos

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It was just a short walk down the road to Wat Pho, the oldest temple in Bangkok, which also houses the 45 meter long Recining Buddha. As you admire Buddha in the position of him reaching Nirvana, the clank of coins being dropped in bowls resonates throughout the building. It is believed that if you drop a coin in each of the 108 bowls it will bring you good luck and a long life.

Wat Arun Photos

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Then just a quick ferry across the river and we find ourselves at Wat Arun. This wat dates back to the Ayuttaya period (the former capital) so it takes on more of a Khmer style architecture (think Angkor Wat) and really stands out from the rest of the temples. As we ascended p the extremely steep and narrow stairs (not for those afraid of heights) we could look across the river and spy the Grand Palace.

Our tour would not be complete without a stop in the backpacker haven of Khao San Road. Having a beer during the day was enough experience for us, as the street turns into an all night party.

As this was Thanksgiving Day, we were fortunate to have been invited to an orphan-Thanksgiving, hosted by a former Peace Corps volunteer. Greg worked under Pimsuda, who is now the CCS Country Director for Thailand, so we dined with many ex-pats and CCS staff and volunteers, most of who weren’t even American. Still, we had a lovely rooftop feast with all the works – turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. We were indeed thankful for the experiences that brought us this far.

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We barely got to Thailand and already we were off and running. Our next stop – Trang in the south. This is where CCS’s other Thailand program is based and I was excited to see the staff again and have Michael meet them. It’s a short flight to Trang so we arrived in time for an early lunch with the staff. All of the volunteers had already left for the weekend, so we had them all to ourselves.

Over a delicious spicy meal the staff deliberated on what Michael’s Thai nickname should be (everyone in Thailand has a nickname). When I was last here, they bestowed “Chabaa” upon me, which translates into hibiscus flower (or crazy woman, depending on the tone. And that’s how I probably pronounce it as I always get laughs after I introduce myself). So they decided Michael should be “Nahm” which means water. Because, as they say, Chabaa needs Nahm. Awwwww.

Lunch was barely over and we were already off again – this time to one of the small islands just off the coast. Trang is not a popular tourist destination like so many parts of Thailand, and they have some great little islands that haven’t been discovered by the masses. We were excited for a few days of R&R along with two CCS staff members.

Koh Ngai Photos

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From the mainland we took an hour longtail boat from Pak Meng Pier to Koh Ngai (aka Ko Hai). With about a half dozen resorts along its mainland beach, Koh Ngai looked like a great starting point for our Thailand adventures. As it was low-tide when we pulled in, we were greeted up the rocky, exposed beach by a trailer that took us the rest of the way in. That afternoon while everyone else relaxed, I was able to stroll up the 1.5km coastline. Within a couple of hours, we wouldn’t be able to leave our resort, the tides were that severe.

Besides relaxing on the white beaches and kayaking off the coast, Koh Ngai is a great launch pad for snorkeling day trips around the other islands. We stopped at a few of the limestone karsts that jet out everywhere, exploring the colorful fishes that reside at their bases. And we hopped off our longtail boat for a restful lunch at Ko Kraden, which is the remotest, and some say most beautiful island, in the area. And we ended the day at Ko Mook to explore the Emerald Cave. The only way to access the inland beach is by swimming through the 80-meter cave, some of which is in complete darkness. But when the tidal waves push you through the last bit and you land on a white beach surrounded by limestone walls covered in green vegetation, any hesitation is long forgotten.

We also had the pleasure of celebrating Loy Kratong while on Koh Ngai (see slideshow). And after a fun night of celebrating, we said farewell to our friends and had one more day of R&R before hitting the road again.

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One thing is for sure the Thais really have the tourist transportation down. Whether it’s by longtail, ferry or high-speed boat by water, or minivan, tuk tuk or bus on land, the various networks of getting from one destination to the next is relatively easy to do – even if you don’t speak the language.

Our next destination was West Railay beach, which is situated in the province on mainland Krabi. From Kho Ngai we took a high speek boat to Ko Lanta (1 hr.) where we met up with a ferry heading to Ao Nang – the drop off point for destinations to Krabi. And as West Railay was tucked in amongst massive limestone walls, the only way to get there is by longtail boat, which picked us up from the ferry.

After coming from quiet Kho Ngai, West Railay seemed like a city to us – they actually had a food market, ATM and even a few vendors. Other than that, the resorts are all bungalow style and tucked into the landscape, which still offers a sense of exclusiveness. But it is definitely a popular base camp for many travelers, as it is central to visiting just about any destination around the Andaman Coast, even day trips. And there were plenty on offer. And because of the massive limestone formations surrounding the headland, it is a hot spot for rock climbing – even beginners.

We decided we would spend our few days doing a little more relaxing on the beach. But we also decided to get out and explore some of the area by kayak. Protected from the Andaman Sea by Krabi and Phuket is Ao Phang Nga Bay, which is edged by mangroves and limestone karsts. It is also known for its hongs, which house tidal lagoons only accessible by kayaking through murky tunnels and past limestone outcrops.

We decided to venture through the Bor Tor area. In addition to kayaking through mangroves and entering one of these lagoons, whose entrance was obscured by vines, we also visited caves which housed pre-historic wall paintings by the sea gypsies. Now sitting way above the tree line, these caves were once at sea level and the sea gypsies would make living rooms and bedrooms amongst the crags in the caves ceiling.

Back on West Railay, we enjoyed our last sunset looking out at all of the soccer matches happening up and down the beach. Like clockwork as the sun is about to set, Thais who have ended their work day, take to the beach for massive matches. It seems that anyone can jump in and at some point there must have been almost 40 people on one particular “field”. While sipping a cold Chang from our beach side table, their silhouettes were book-ended by the limestone karsts, glowing pink in the setting sun.

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From West Railay we decided that our next port of call and home base would be Khao Lak, which is situated just 70km north of Phuket. All we knew about Khao Lak was it was a great starting point for dive trips to the Similan Islands and that it was the area of Thailand most affected by the December 2004 tsunami.

Curiosity factor did play in part to us staying here, as we wanted to learn and understand more how that tragic day affected the community. One of our first stops was to the Tsunami Volunteer Center, where we got more details about the “numbers” (of the almost 9,000 people killed in Thailand, nearly 5,000 were from this area alone) as well as the various sustainable projects they have set up in response to the immediate and long-term affects of that day. They also provided us some information on some of the “landmarks” that are still there, showing the physical signs of the devastation. We would later spend a day on scooter doing a self-guided tour (see slideshow).

And from our dive instructors, we heard their experiences from that day and got some insight into the development of the area. From our standpoint, having just arrived, it seemed as if it was a thriving resort town, with dozens of beach side bungalow resorts, numerous restaurants & bars, a plethora of tailor shops and high-end hotels quickly being built up the coast for miles. But we were told that even in 2002, the town had barely any hotels, one bar and one restaurant. It was more of a stop to get to the Similans.

But development began to pick-up prior to the tsunami, as visitors were looking for a quiet alternative to Phuket. That day, nearly a third of those who lost their lives were tourists.

I found that when those who lived through that tragedy are asked about it, there is a pause to their response, as if a high-speed slide show of what they saw and felt runs through their heads. And a sadness creeps into their eyes. Having watched the towers fall from across the Hudson River on September 11 and volunteering for a month with the Salvation Army, I could understand a little bit of how they felt.

But unlike 9-11, they had to live with thousands of bodies lying everywhere for at least five days, with no electricity, gas or running water. If you needed to go out in the dark for some reason, it was best to memorize the path around bodies. As one person put it, she hopes that “no one I love ever has to experience something as horrible as that event.”

And even though building eventually began and tourists continue to come in numbers, many of the local people are afraid to live by the sea and for those whose livelihood is the sea (fishermen) it’s even more difficult. The same holds true up the coast in Kuraburi, were we would do our home-stay. One woman who was working at a resort by the water told us how she was whisked out to sea by the wave, where she managed to stay afloat for four hours. And she has even fought her fear of returning to the sea by taking diving lessons.

Immediate response projects have now evolved into sustaining ones and hopefully the affects of that day will turn into new opportunities for those affected.

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Of course our stop wasn’t just about the tsunami – we also managed to squeeze in some trips.  On one of these trips we visited Khao Sok National Park.  Known for its great jungle treks, we decided to let the elephants do all the work on this particular trek.  Lumbering along from atop our ride, we were taken along a beautiful hike to a waterfall, where we would stop for a “rest” and the elephants would get a bath.

After meandering back, we got to reward our ride with a “tip” – bananas.  We followed suit and had lunch at one of the parks lodges, which consisted of tree top bungalows.  Then a canoe trip down the jungle river, passing large limestone karsts that are believed to have been part of a reef system spanning from China to Borneo – five times the size of the Great Barrier Reef.

We then spent three days on a live aboard boat with Sea Dragon Dive Center diving the Similan Islands.  Rated as one of the top ten dive sites in the world, Michael was excited to once again slink into a wetsuit and strap on the oxygen tanks.  I was to be the lone snorkeler on this trip, so like Squirt from “Finding Nemo” I was riding solo in the water.

The group was made up of Germans, Brits, Canadians and us plus the British and South African instructors and our lovely Thai crew.  Everyone else was doing some sort of diving, either instructional (open water and advanced) or recreational.

All totaled they had nine dives, including a night one, and all saw some incredible sea life.  The ultimate for Michael and his group came on the last dive.  As they literally come to their descent at 24 meters, they were joined by a manta ray, spanning nearly 12 feet, who swam with them for over 20 minutes.  Despite other sea life around them, no one could take their eyes off of this incredible site.  Those on board the boat knew they saw something special as they ascended to whoops and cheers.

On the waters surface we were also greeted by a turtle and a dozen small dolphins frolicking at the bow.  And we also frolicked on the top deck for an evening bbq over beers and laughs.  It was a great trip and the party continued back on steady land in Khao Lak.

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Michael and I traveled to Thailand as part of our 2007 career break. The following is an excerpt from our travel blog.

Of all the places we would visit on this trip, the last place I thought Michael would be able to relate to the most was a small Muslim Village in Thailand.  But surprisingly, he eased right into sleeping on a mattress on a floor under mosquito netting with roosters crowing at 2am, speaking a completely different language from anyone else around us, and feeding baby goats twice a day.  But he easily compared it to consulting – traveling endlessly from one hotel to the next, needing to learn a new dialect or corporate speak, and understanding a new corporate environment and supporting it.  Makes perfect sense.

Our stay in Tung Nang Dam was thanks to Andaman Discoveries – an offshoot of the North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR) organization.  As their website states “we started by doing relief projects FOR community members, then we progressed to development projects WITH community members, now we are assisting with projects led BY community members.”

We were to stay four days/three nights in this small Muslim village, which consisted of just 35 homes and a population of 115.  Even though Tung Nang Dam is protected by mangroves, (hence you can only access it by boat), and no homes or lives were lost during the tsunami, the fishermen lost their boats and livelihood and many fish farms were damaged beyond repair.  And as part of the evolution of NATR “villagers decided that community-based tourism would allow them to generate additional income and support the community of their traditions, culture and lifestyle.  Community-based tourism could fit into their lives, and not force them to sacrifice their traditional lifestyles for the sake of tourists.”

Our host, P’Noi, and her family were the perfect hosts for this experience.  P’Noi was part of the NATR seven-month vocational training program that focused on using tourism as a tool for community development; cultural, environmental and adventure-based guiding methods; first aid and safety training; English language and computer skills; small business management and entrepreneurial training; and hospitality and travel planning skills.

One of P’Noi’s projects was an orchid conservation farm.  Orchids in Tung Nang Dam are becoming increasingly rare, as they are popular decorations for homes and restaurants.  Over-harvesting by mainland people has become a big problem in the jungles of the village.  P’Noi has developed a program of incubating orchid cuttings on her farm and transplanting them to the jungle once they are mature.  In addition, volunteers add their names, hometowns and date of planting on a plaque next to the orchid in hopes of dissuading people from cutting them.  We did our part by planting cuttings in coconut planters with hopes of them returning to the jungle in the future.  We also went on a jungle trek to fertilize those orchids that have been returned.

P’Noi and her family also had a goat farm, so every afternoon we would help shepherd them into their homes for the night as well as feeding the baby goats by bottle.  Michael quickly took to this chore and had a few favorite kids that would nip at his feet for more.  Another cultural activity that P’Noi shared with us was cooking.  She shared with us how to make the Thai equivalent of a small pancake, guided us in cooking a seafood lunch, and even grilled oysters on a fire with her brothers.

Of course the activities were just a side to the actual experience of living within a completely different environment, learning to communicate in broken Thai and sign language, and placing ourselves out of our comfort zone.  But as much as we struggled in this new environment, the fact that these people, who come from a very shy culture and have to learn much more in order to accommodate us, opened up their homes and lives to us was extremely humbling.

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