Oh Yeah, And Then We Got SCUBA Certified in Thailand

March 10, 2013 by B + B in Thailand, Southeast Asia

We did nine dives in six days in Koh Tao and came away with our open water and advanced certifications. We are hooooked!

The open water course was a combination of class time, homework and diving over four days. We learned basic skills like how to assemble (and use) our gear, how to breathe underwater and what to do in any number of potential panic situations (run out of air, broken mask, lost diver - this last one actually came in handy during the advanced course). We also got to do our first dives to 18 meters, which is when the fun really began. So much so that we didn't want it to end.

We moved on to the advanced course, which is all practical. Meaning, no classroom and lots of diving. We dove a wreck, a retired WWII ship called the HTMS Sattukut. We learned navigation skills (using a compass underwater is harder than you think). We refined our buoyancy at an underwater "theme park" called Buoyancy World, where we swam through hoops and floated upside down. We did a night dive, where we lost a girl in our group and had to put our new skills to the test (she's fine, just easily distracted). And we went deep to our new max depth of 30 meters, although visibility was so bad, it felt like the night dive.

There were definitely a few times when we got nervous. B was pushing through his comfort level with water like a rock star and I had to face my fears of giant man-made objects in the ocean at the wreck (thank goodness it wasn't a submarine). But all-in-all diving has been an absolutely incredible experience. It really is a whole new world down there and diving allows you to be a part of it in such a natural way. We cannot wait to do it again in Indonesia!

We didn't have much time outside of diving, but the little free time we did have, we used to explore Koh Tao. It's a beautiful island. Very developed in some areas, but completely untouched in others. And, it's small, so with the right vehicle (ATV or 4-wheel drive) you can get pretty much anywhere in an hour. Our scooter confined us to the beaten track, but we found some ridiculous beaches on the south of the island.

We left Koh Tao with a new passion and a decent tan... A week well spent.

Chillin' in Chiang Rai

December 26, 2012 by B + B

Our first impression of Chiang Rai was not a good one. We had no idea where our guesthouse was, so we accepted an offer from a tuk tuk driver to take us there from the bus station for 60 baht ($3). He proceeded to drive three blocks before stopping in front of our final destination. He must have seen us coming a mile away. Luckily, the rest of Chiang Rai seemed more in line with the Thailand we knew and loved. To be honest, we took it pretty easy and got a lot of work done on the blog. We knew we wouldn't have reliable internet in Laos, so we said we wouldn't leave Thailand until we caught up. That didn't quite happen, but we made good headway and actually moved the blog into SE Asia (we were still working on Africa content!).

We did make time for a little fun, though. We got to Chiang Rai on the full moon, just in time for Loy Krathong celebrations. Unfortunately, it poured that night, so paper lanterns and floating candles did not have the best chance for success. As any small town would, Chiang Rai stayed strong and rescheduled the festivities for the following night, including a parade around the main streets of town. Everyone got really into it, the floats were amazing and the night finished without hitch or a drop of rain... But it was nothing compared to the hippies and high-altitude energy of Crested Butte's 4th of July Parade!

Chiang Rai has the best markets in Thailand, especially the Saturday walking market. Most of the markets we've seen offer different variations of the same theme (same-same as the Thais would say), but this one felt totally different. It also has all the food organized into a food court of sorts, which was fun and communal. We got offered more food by our table mates, which oddly has happened a lot for us in Thailand... We must look hungry. The night market was also interesting and worth mentioning because that was where we ate our first bugs in Asia. Silkworms, we think. And they weren't that bad.

Our one "sight" in Chiang Rai turned out to be really interesting and an amazing photo opportunity for B. The White Temple is a modern Buddhist/Hindu temple designed by a contemporary Thai artist and really makes a statement. Before entering the temple, you must walk over a moat of condemned souls - dozens of statues of men, women and monsters reaching up from the pits in anguish trying to escape their fate. Beyond the moat lies the pristine White Temple, or salvation. But even this holds contradictory messages. The most interesting part was a full wall mural inside the temple that includes a collection of false idols, including everything from gasoline (coming out of the mouth of a dragon held by Osama Bin Laden and George W.) to Kung Fu Panda. It was really interesting to view as a Westerner and from our perspective, pretty insightful as well. At the very least, it sparks conversation and is not boring.

Our partners in crime for a lot of the fun stuff was a wonderful couple from New Zealand who were on their way home after two-years of traveling and working their way around the world. We bonded over beers, travel stories and fears of returning to reality - we're already getting cold feet and they were nervous, to say the least. We've met a lot of people along the way, but there was something special about Rod and Jacqui that rubbed off on us. They have promised an open door when we get to New Zealand (not on this trip, but someday) and we will gladly take them up on it. Anyone up for New Zealand in 2014?

The Best Noodles You'll Ever Eat Are in Mae Salong

December 24, 2012 by B + B

After nearly a month in Thailand, the time had come for us to say goodbye to our favorite (albeit first) SE Asian country and move onward into Laos. Our 30-day visas were running out, so we knew we needed to cross the border within a week. We decided the Chiang Khong / Huay Xai crossing on the Mekong River (which forms the border of the two countries) was the best option, and that we had some time to play between leaving Chiang Mai and getting our exit stamps. A little research and a few Singha Beers later, we committed to travel North through Chiang Dao and Mae Salong before heading East to use Chiang Rai as a gateway to the border crossing at Chiang Khong.

Chiang Dao really surprised us. We weren't expecting much - it's a small town with little to its name outside of a cave that is supposedly "touristy". But, we loved it. The bus ride from Chiang Mai was easy. We found a great guest house, nestled at the foot of the mountains (appropriate as it's named The Nest). The Thai food was among the best we've had. The cave was actually huge and awesome. We road bikes around town all day. We walked up 500 steps to one of the most beautiful and spiritual temples we've seen yet, appreciating the appropriately timed inspirational quotes along the way. We got pumpkin waffles at the Tuesday morning market. We liked it so much that we decided to stay a second night. The only down-side was that we broke down and decided to get a Western meal at a very well-reviewed "gourmet" restaurant. Date night! We spent a lot of money, ordered a lot of food and were served mediocre resort-fare and bad wine. It was a reminder that gourmet and Western are unnecessary notions in a country with such amazing, accessible local food. And that a lot of Westerners just don't like real Thai food as much as us (hence the stellar reviews). Lesson learned.

From there, by way of a bus and two songtauws, we spent a night in "the least Thai town in Thailand." Mae Salong is far North Thailand, almost on the Burmese border. It was settled by remnants of a Chinese Nationalist army fleeing the communist regime in the early 60s. They set up shop in Mae Salong with the expectation of building their strength for retaliation, funding their arms purchases through opium production and trade (it's very close to the Golden Triangle). They eventually fell in love with Thailand and took an offer of citizenship in exchange for help fighting Thailand's own communists and turning their opium fields into tea plantations. So now, you can sip a cup of locally grown Oolong overlooking beautiful valleys of tea plantations in a Chinese village in Thailand.

Two things stood out about Mae Salong. One, and most importantly, there is a shop that serves THE BEST NOODLES WE HAVE EVER TASTED. "Chinese Yunanist Noodle Shop" is family run, with grandma doing the cooking, mom doing the serving and grandpa doing the babysitting. Grandma has the preparation down to a science, putting the perfect amount of homemade noodles, dumplings, sauces, spices and broth into each bowl. The soup is served with a side of kim chi for crunch and an extra kick. We were in Mae Salong for less than 24 hours and went twice. We still dream about those noodles. We also had black-bone chicken (literally chicken with black skin and bones) for the first time which was weird but no where near as tasty.

The second observation is that Mae Salong has the tiniest horses on the planet. And, even after all of our noodles, they let us ride them. We went for a "horse trek" only to be led around on ponies the size of mountain goats. It was hilarious and we are pretty positive that even though it looked as if we'd crush the horses under our Western weight, they were actually sturdier than they looked.

Still laughing at the tiny horses and full from yet another bowl of noodles, we jumped in a songtauw for a quick trip to Chiang Rai. One problem... The songtauw only takes you to the edge of the valley where they drop you on the side of the highway. From there, with no instruction from the driver other than a series of "shooing" motions and lots of charades with locals on the street, we found our way to a bus stop and got on the next bus heading in the right direction.

Yi Peng and Loy Krathong

December 18, 2012 by B + B

Looking up into the sky at Yi Peng in Chiang Mai, Thailand has to be one of the most beautiful sights we have ever seen. Nearly 10,000 paper lanterns flood the night sky with light as they float silently away, carrying the hopes and prayers of the people watching from below. Wave after wave of lanterns are released and as the first finally drift out of sight, the newer ones take their place. It's complete chaos on the ground - people calling for torches, trying to be patient as their lanterns fill with hot air, dodging the unsuccessful launches, laughing with one another at the sight of it all. But, in the sky, thousands of lanterns dance together in perfect harmony.

Yi Peng is a festival found only in Chiang Mai, corresponding with the nation-wide holiday Loy Krathong, which is celebrated each year around the full moon of the 12th month of the lunar cycle. Loy Krathong has been one of Thailand's biggest festival for centuries, meant to honor Buddha and praise the water goddess for the year's abundance. In addition to the lanterns, people release floating candles on rivers and waterways. The ceremony is meant to purge you of negativity and darkness and if your float or lantern drifts out of site with the flame still lit, it's a sign of good luck for the year to come. It was total luck that we were in the area at the end of November (full moon was on Nov. 28 in 2012), but once that lined up, we dug into research about the best way to participate. Yi Peng was an obvious choice but really hard to get solid information about. The date changes every year and they host two separate events - a free one for locals and a separate international festival that costs $80. For obvious reasons, the international festival is widely promoted and even has its own dedicated website with all the information you could ever need. On the other hand, information on the free, local event is pretty much non-existent with the exception of a wonderful resource... Travel blogs. Since we found the information on blogs so incredibly helpful, here's a quick rundown of our Yi Peng experience for anyone looking to attend a future festival. If not, there's plenty more pretty pics to enjoy here.

Local vs. International. Up to you, but for us, the free/local event is the way to go. It's more authentic, but still visitor friendly and even had announcements in English so we knew what was going on the whole time. I think the biggest difference in this versus the paid international event is that the latter includes buses to the event site and a gift bag of Lanna keepsakes.

Dates. The dates for the local event are typically not posted until close to the event itself. BUT, historically, it's been the weekend prior to the full moon. For example, in 2012 the full moon was on Nov. 28 and Yi Peng (local) was on Nov. 24. The international event was the weekend after (Nov. 30).

Location & How to Get There. Yi Peng is held at the Lanna International Center, behind Mae Jo University, outside of Chiang Mai. To get there, go down by the river just past the markets in Chinatown in Chiang Mai and look (or ask) for a green songtauw. Tell the driver Mae Jo University. Once the songtauw fills up, it's about 45 minutes to your stop. Get off, and then walk or hop another songtauw through the university to the event site. Once you're at the university, you'll see people heading that way - just follow them. And, it's likely that other travelers or Thais in your songtauw will be going to the event too.

Lanterns. There will be plenty of opportunities to buy lanterns as soon as you get off the songtauw, all the way to the event site. Wait until you're inside to buy them directly from the official event. Outside lanterns will not be allowed in, plus buying them direct is a donation to the monks that put on the event.

Getting Out. This was the worst part. It's unorganized and overcrowded. Be patient and try to leave a little early to avoid the cattle drive. There will be songtauws waiting outside, but they'll charge you up to 10 times what you paid to get there. Up to you whether you want to pay for a quick, guaranteed ride or take your chances closer to the road.

Trekking With Chang in Chiang Mai

December 15, 2012 by B + B

With most of the crew heading back to the states, Brendan, Steph and I jumped a flight to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. Counter to the beaches, sand and sun of the south, Chiang Mai promised mountains, culture and cooler temps. The city delivered on the first two in a big way. As for the weather, we are convinced that Thailand's "cool season" is the longest running international scam in history. If there is one, we haven't found it. Maybe they just keep that rumor out there to get you to book your flight. Once you're here, you'll fall in love with it despite the 99 degree days and 100 percent humidity and learn to live with it.

Steph had three requests for the North: elephants, trekking and "gritty" travel. While we did get fancy and fly to Chiang Mai from Phuket (expensive, but saves time versus the overnight train or buses through Bangkok), sitting on the floor of the Koh Lanta public ferry for three hours with luggage piled around us was a bit more in line with our typical "style" of transportation. First class, all the way. As for the other two, a day excursion booked through Trekking Collective gave us all that and more, thanks to our guide Chang (which also coincidentally is the Thai word for Elephant).

Chang is a Bangkok native, now living in Chiang Mai and working as a partner in the Trekking Collective, an ethical trekking company that puts custom treks together for private groups (we highly recommend it). He's probably about 60, but treks up to 6 days a week and has a childlike enthusiasm for nature, especially orchids. His excitement was contagious and his quirks - like talking to himself, scolding himself for taking a wrong turn or adding the Thai ending "kop" to every English word - were endearing and entertaining. And his stories were legendary. From trekking down from the Burmese border to raising wild cats in his Chiang Mai home, he is a fountain of random tales and tidbits. He picked us up in the morning in his Nissan 4-Runner (trust me, it was a 4-Runner, but not a Toyota) and after a quick stop at the market for ingredients for lunch, we headed out of town to the Mae Song Valley, about an hour outside Chiang Mai.

Thailand and elephants have a long history and tourism is one of the main modern industries for domesticated elephants. We, like many, struggled with the decision to visit an elephant camp. Is it ethical? Are we perpetuating the problem (supply and demand)? How are the elephants treated? Why can't they be free? Would they be if people like us didn't need to jump on their backs for a ride in the jungle? So many questions and conflicting feelings led to a long conversation with Trekking Collective on the the realities of life for elephants in Thailand, elephant tourism and the right ways (or at least not the wrong ways) to get involved. The fact is that without tourism, many of these elephants would be employed in hard labor jobs (logging is now illegal in Thailand, but was the main use for domesticated elephants for many years), would find themselves homeless or "begging in the streets," and would be unable to fend for themselves in the wild. Plus, there are people whose livelihoods rely on the work of an elephant (think farmers back in the day with oxen or horses), so there is an interesting human side to the story as well. However, and this is a big caveat, there are a lot of bad operators and companies out there who mistreat and misuse the elephants. They work them too long, too hard or when they are sick. All because there are people lined up at the door to see the show or take a ride. It is so important to find a good company, camp or conservation center to support if you want to spend time with elephants in SE Asia. The Trekking Collective uses Mae Song Elephant Camp who only work their elephants 4 hours a day and only offer full day programs during low season. Long story long, since we trusted Chang and Trekking Collective, we signed up for an elephant ride and, as you can tell from the pictures, loved every minute. There is something so sweet and special about these gentle giants and being able to spend even a brief time with them was so rewarding.

After the ride, we took a cage over the river (weird, but true... I felt like we were in Robinhood) and started our trek. It was hot. We were sweaty. But Chang's energy, constant stories and the beautiful scenery kept us going. And there were frequent breaks when Chang spotted a new orchid that he had not seen before or that was showing up for the first time this season. He would whip out his video recorder and capture the flower to investigate later (and then talk to himself about it for five minutes). After about 2.5 hours of walking uphill, we arrived at a village where Chang and the homeowner prepared us lunch over a traditional village stove, a clay pot with coals. Luckily for us, and despite the fact that he'll never admit it, Chang is an excellent cook. He says it only tastes good when you're really hungry, hence the trekking. But, his mother was a cook in Bangkok when he was growing up and his comfort in front of the fire is a dead giveaway that he has food in his genes. He even added some drama with, "Prepare your cameras!" before flames flew up from the pan. We ate in the family's kitchen/living room/ bedroom and then relaxed on the porch with panoramic views of the valley. The hike ended with a quick dip in the waterfall and a sleepy drive home to the city. We were beat, but happy from our time with Chang - the man and the elephants.

Chiang Mai Firsts

December 14, 2012 by B + B

Chiang Mai is a mix of old and new, east and west, traditional and modern. It is the capital of Lanna (Northern Thailand) and therefore plays a very important role in the culture of the region, but it's also a University town, bringing a fun, youthful energy into the mix. What it makes for is a laid-back, friendly city with interesting, creative people and places. It actually reminds us a lot of Austin, with a little more history.

Food plays a huge role here, which for us is always a good thing. It's as diverse as the population and while we did have to test out the SE Asian Tex-Mex at "El Diablo," the more traditional Northern Thai dishes are the ones worth writing home about. The street food is excellent and the locals are friendly and always willing to give you a taste - even if it's right off their plate. We had a group of Thais treat us to fried bananas after giving us bites of one of their own - granted, we were staring at it trying to figure out if it was a corn dog! One dish, in particular changed our lives forever. Khao Soi is typically a lunch-only dish, made with egg noodles and either chicken or pork in a savory coconut base (like a curry), topped with crispy fried noodles, lime, raw onion and pickled cabbage. Trekking Collective gave us the heads up on a small, unmarked coffee shop / Khao Soi guru just outside the Chiang Mai gate. We ate there three times during our stay and it would have been five if she hadn't been sold out on two of our visits.

From traditional Thai food to traditional Thai entertainment, we also caught our first Muay Thai fight in Chiang Mai. Muay Thai is similar to kickboxing, with more ritual. We got roped into the extremely touristy version of the traditional sport, complete with English announcers and a welcome drink. Always the tourist snobs, we were disappointed to see that the only locals were the coaches and fighters, but we had ringside seats and big beers and soon were up, yelling for our fighter with the rest of the Farangs. It's actually a really beautiful and brutal sport. Before each fight, the fighters walk the perimeter of the ring, running their gloves along the ropes to bless the space. They then perform a series of stretches, dance moves and bows to honor the sport, ring and other fighter. Then, the fighting starts. And, touristy or not, it was real. The fighters are well-trained athletes and are a lot tougher than they look. One of the perhaps not-so-traditional aspects was the "half-time show" when about seven of the "B Team" fighters came into the ring, were blindfolded and then beat the shit out of each other for 10 minutes. It will go down as one of the strangest things we've seen in Asia (along with two dogs we saw who were stuck together, butt-to-butt). At the end of the night's fights, we got to go in the ring and practice our moves which turned into another hilarious side show of tourists throwing drunk punches and off-balance kicks at one another.

Another show and first for us in Chiang Mai was the infamous lady-boy cabaret. Men in different stages of their transformation to become female dress up and lip-sync popular Western hits and show tunes. It's surprisingly very family friendly and we had such a fun time. Brendan was a good sport, even reaching into our "waitress's" cleavage to get his drink and collect our change while she/he flirted shamelessly with him. I spent most of the show looking for bulges (couldn't help myself) and admiring the ladies' toned bodies, perfect make-up and over-the-top outfits. It was definitely drag at its best, but with more believable ladies. Go girl!

On the opposite side of the fence and in the light of day, we also had some spiritual firsts in Chiang Mai, including a candid conversation with a Cambodian monk and being blessed by an elder in one of the holiest temples in Thailand, Doi Suthep. The mix of traditional and modern influences in Chiang Mai is really apparent in the temples and especially at the Buddhist University, where monks and novices invite foreigners to join them for informal chats in between their daily duties and studies. The point of the conversations is two-fold. One, to share knowledge about Buddhism, Thai culture snd the lives of monks to curious Westerners. And two, to practice their English and learn more about the Western world. Kosal, the 18-year-old Cambodian monk that we sat with was a great example of the old-world and new. He was so excited to hear that Steph worked at Facebook and mentioned that he had a page, but couldn't be friends with girls. Since monks are not allowed to come into contact with women (touching), Steph and I kept a respectful distance, and promised not to stalk him on the FB. While we were sitting with him, Kosal pointed out a group of monks who turned out to be lady boys! He explained that that is possible only in Thailand, Cambodia and other close countries would never be so tolerant. Just another reason to love this country.

Up on the mountain at Doi Suthep, we joined hundreds of Western and Thai visitors at Wat Phra That. The Wat is beautiful to look at and is considered one of the most holy temples in Thailand. It was built when a Buddha statue broke in half and, by a miracle, one of the halves was as large as the original whole. To honor the miracle and choose the perfect location to house the special statue, it was placed on the back of a sacred white elephant, who climbed up the mountain before stopping and circling clockwise three times to designate the chosen spot. Now, to honor the temple, visitors can walk three times clockwise around the original chedi, chanting a sacred song and offering blessings. Somewhat by chance, we ended up inside one of the alters, being summoned by an elder monk to come close and kneel. He then started chanting and showering (not sprinkling) us with holy water as a blessing. A little wet, but very honored to be a part of the ceremony, we received a white string tied around our right wrists to recognize and remind us of the blessing.

We stayed in Chiang Mai longer than any other Thai city and never got tired of it. It's unique culture, flair and flavors have made it one of our favorite cities in Thailand.

Ode to Friends (Koh Lanta, Thailand)

December 13, 2012 by B + B

There once was a group of seven friends
Who traveled far and wide
To find themselves together again
In Thailand, side-by-side

After twenty-four hours in Bangkok
Thailand's capitol city
It was on to Koh Lanta
An island oasis in the Andaman Sea

But first, our stomaches called
For a dim sum breakfast surprise
So a quick stop over in Trang
Filled our bellies and left tears of happiness in Jimmy's eyes

Now, on to paradise
To blue water, white sand and sun
An MTV-Cribs worthy villa
And four days of "complimentary" fun

Spring rolls and sea kayaking
Snorkeling, scuba and island tours
Paper lanterns, fire shows and fireworks
And Happy Joints (a restaurant, of course)

We explored caves on Talabeng
Swam in beautiful Pi Lay Bay
Visited "The Beach" at Ko Pi Pi
And pissed a few jellyfish off along the way

At home, everything we wanted
Was just down Klong Nin beach
And, if not, Rick's personal concierge
Could always be easily reached

We hatched a plan to retire to the island
When we had some available cash
And open a sea-side restaurant
Called Gang Bangers and Mash

On our last night in paradise
We had a family dinner at home
And thought about how lucky we are
To call each other our own

To our amazing friends who traveled so far
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts
For making this week of our trip
One of the most special parts

Getting To Koh Lanta: Trang vs. Krabi

December 13, 2012 by B + B

Most people access the Andaman islands through Phuket or Krabi, but we found a great deal on Nok Air, the cutest budget airline in Thailand (owned by Air Asia). We flew from Bangkok's Don Mueang airport (not BKK) to Trang and arranged a driver from Lanta Info to shuttle us the rest of the way to Koh Lanta from there. Lanta Info also runs speed boat transfers Dec. - Feb., but the van was nice, comfortable and had air conditioning all for around 3,000 baht. All in all, we figure we saved around $40 per person taking the Trang / ground transfer option over the more popular Krabi / speedboat option. And, Trang is actually a great little town that is well-known for its breakfast culture (which is pretty non-existent in the rest of Thailand). We found Ruean Thai, one of the city's best dim sum spots, on this amazing Thai food blog and ended up sampling most of the restaurant's 40 steamed options and fried sides. Oh. My. Breakfast. Trang also has quality coffee shops and bakeries, if you're not into pork buns and crab dumplings for breakfast. After the meal, it's only a few hours' drive and two ferry crossings to Koh Lanta. Easy on your wallet, good for your tummy and off the tourist track.

Power Sightseeing in Bangkok

November 30, 2012 by B + B

With only one full day in Bangkok with the entire crew and an ambitious list of sights to see, we had our hands full. We left the apartment at 9am and hopped on a long tail to China Town. We were tired, hungover and hot - it was about 99 degrees and humid, and made even us native Texans sweat our butts off. But, we were excited to be together in Thailand and were going to make the most of the day, even if it killed us (famous last words).

Our first destination: The Grand Palace. We had heard and read that it's best to go as early as possible to avoid the biggest of the crowds. So true. The Grand Palace is huge and Bangkok's most popular tourist attraction, so its a bit of a hassle, but definitely worth seeing. Get a guide to get the full story and avoid getting overwhelmed - it's cheap, only about 300 baht ($10). The palace was built in the late 1700s and was home to the royal family until the 1920s. It's still used for special events and has a separate estate to house important guests (Obama was rumored to be staying there during his time in Thailand the week after we visited), but most of it is open to the public and operates as a museum. The Emerald Buddha is probably its biggest single attraction, but there are many. It's the Versailles of Thailand (without the sprawling grounds, the GP is right in the middle of the city). Its absolutely beautiful. All of its buildings are covered in gold, adorned with Buddhist history and lore and built perfectly and ornately down to the last detail. Like most everything in Thailand, Buddhism is inherently tied into the art, architecture and purpose of the palace, so it actually feels more spiritual than official.

We were bad tourists and dressed completely for the heat and not for appropriate cultural standards. Our punishment was having to wear the non-breathable skirts, pants and robes provided at the entrance to most sites.

Seeing all the Grand Palace has to offer in the heat and sun with the crowds is a big job and two hours into the tour we were hot and ready to drop. Then, as if by divine intervention, we found our salvation. The smartest vendor in Thailand was selling frozen hand towels to desperate tourists for 30 baht a piece right inside the palace walls. It was life-changing. We rested and cooled in the shade with the ice cold rags around our necks, got our strength back and marched forward.

From the Grand Palace, we headed down the street to Wat Pho, home to the Reclining Buddha, a 45 foot tall half-a-football-field-long golden Buddha, laying on his side, head propped up in his hand. Us ladies dutifully pulled on the provided lime green polyester spa robes - the guys got out of this one as their dress code is a bit less strict. Guys tend to be okay most places in anything that's not a tank top, but women need to have their shoulders and legs covered inside temple walls and in some places (especially more rural) around town. The attire did not distract from the experience at all. The Reclining Buddha is every bit as impressive as the guidebooks build up and the Wat itself is something to behold. Being inside of a temple in Thailand, where Buddhism is as much a part of daily life and culture as food, is something special. You just feel the spirituality of the place. And all that to honor someone who is not recognized as a God, only as the highest example of enlightenment. It's truly amazing and makes you think. As we were regrouping to head on, the clouds came together over the sun in a way that created the most beautiful light. It was like a rainbow without the familiar shape or colors. Or a sunset in the middle of the day with no horizon. Pinks and blues and purples, visible rays. It was enough to render the seven of us speechless for a few minutes as we stared at the sky beyond the Wat's ornate gold trim. And almost enough to make us forget about the heat... Almost.

Exhausted from hours of touring, we hitched a ride with three tuk tuks and raced through the city to our apartment. B, Steph and I were solidly in the lead for the first half, then Rick and Gillian flew past us, followed by Megan and Jimmy who came out of nowhere from a different route. We all fought for position as the tuk tuks bobbed and weaved through Bangkok traffic, neck and neck until the end. I don't even remember who won in the end (probably because it definitely wasn't us), but it was a fun ride.

That night, we got fancy for a night in the town. We started with drinks at Long Table, a rooftop bar overlooking the Bangkok skyline. The drinks aren't cheap by Thai standards, but they offer buy-one-get-one free deals that make it more affordable if you're on a budget. Although, be aware that the buy-one-get-one in this case is for individuals, not the table. So, my glass of white wine magically turned into two in the thirty minutes we were there. Cheers! And the view of the city at night is pretty spectacular. Next up was dinner at Bo.Lan, a Thai fine-dining landmark. We opted for the all-in, family-style set menu which ended up being about 10 different dishes, including a welcome drink, dessert and everything in between. If you're looking for a fine-dining experience in Thailand, this one is great. Good food, great presentation, cool vibe. But, it's not very wallet friendly for travelers. If you're on a budget, no worries - there is plenty of amazing food out there for you. Our meals at Pla Dip and Sebaijai Kebtawan were both outstanding and only $10-$15 a piece with drinks and the street food promises deliciousness for less than $2 a plate. In fact, the more time we spend in Thailand, the more we see that splurging on food experiences is not necessary - even if you appreciate a nice meal like us. The best food is found on the street and in the small stalls that line it. Find locals, go where they go. It will be good. And most likely $2-$3 a person.

The meal was the final nail in the coffin for us weary tourists and we cancelled our wild night out in Bangkok for some sleep and packing for our trip down to the islands the next morning.

Because a 6' 7" white boy needed to stick out more in Bangkok, Rick decided to buy a hat.

No Rest for the Wicked, Especially in BANGKOK

November 30, 2012 by B + B

If our first night in Bangkok was any preview of what is to come... We are going to love SE Asia. Our flight landed at BKK just hours after the US Presidential Election results had been announced, and our driver met us at the gate with a celebratory "Obamanos!" sign. Amazing! We drove out to our apartment, miraculously missing Bangkok's infamous traffic. Awesome! And then between the hours of 10pm and midnight, we ate delicious street food and each had our first Thai massage, all for a grand total of less than $10USD. Incredible! To make things even more exciting, our friends from the States were scheduled to start arriving the next two days!

We spent the majority of our first day in Bangkok eating (shocking, I know) and getting a feel for the city. Being from Austin, the black hole for public transportation, we LOVE cities with easy infrastructure. Bangkok has the metro (subway) and the BTS (sky train) and thousands of taxis, long tail boats and tuk tuks. We ended up staying a bit outside of the action in River Side, but there was a BTS stop a few blocks away to take us into town and long tails were always available to head upriver to many of the historical / cultural sights. Not a bad neighborhood if you want a little peace and quiet or a fancy hotel (the river is where many of the the five-stars are located). But, we suggest Sukhumvit, Ekkamai, or Ari for a little more "energy" and in hindsight, would have stayed in one of those areas. We ended day one with a friend of a friend from Austin who showed up wearing a Longhorn hat and took us for an amazing dinner at Pla Dip in Ari.

Completely by chance, our second full day in Bangkok coincided with a Royal Barge Procession on the Chao Praya River to honor the King's 85th birthday coming up in December and to mark the end of Buddhist Lent when the monks return from walk-abouts in far-flung places around SE Asia. The ceremony has only happened 16 times in the last 50 years years and probably won't again for the next decade, so we jumped at the chance to check it out. The royal fleet of 53 traditional long tail barges and their crew of 2,300 men, all decked out in traditional garb, rowed down the river to Wat Arun, one of Bangkok's most well-known and treasured temples. It sounds somewhat boring, but it was beautiful and impressive with the sleek long tails gliding silently through the water at the hands of their crew, also silent, in front of a temple as the sun set slowly behind it all. And, the mostly Thai crowd was so into it that it was contagious - they love their King! Afterwards, we hustled back to the apartment to meet up with the first of our state-side friends, Rick and Gillian, and hopped on the BTS to a music festival we had heard about the day before.

In Bangkok, looking at live kittens isn't quite enough. They must be accompanied by cute pictures on the iPad...of kittens.

Apparently music festival in Bangkok means something different than in Austin, because it was actually a multi-stage rave. B and I were wiped out and Rick and Gillian were jet lagged, so it wasn't exactly the kind of night we had planned. But, we made the most of it and did our best to hang before admitting we are all old and retiring to the night market outside. That part was pretty great. This specific night market (at the old train station across from Chatuchuk) is where the Bangkok hipster set goes, so there were tons of vintage and artisan crafts along with the regular random wares. And, in true Bangkok style, the was plenty of street food to sample. We wondered through the stalls, grabbing bites and beers until midnight when we had to head back to the apartment to greet the second arrival... Our roommate from Austin, Stephanie.

Day three was long, but one of the greats. Rick and Gillian had to work, so Steph, B and I hopped in a long tail and headed to the floating market up river. On the way there, we went through neighborhoods built on a canal system, somewhat tired and run down, but with the occasion glimpse at the simple Thai lifestyle - women cooking, men fishing, kids jumping into the water (not sure if we would do the same, it's pretty polluted). The floating market turned out to be one big food fest, so we gladly pulled up a chair and chowed on some amazing fish and noodles.

Back on tierra firma, it was off to China Town for some exploration and a visit to Wat Mahathat, a lesser-known Bangkok where the monks are especially open to questions from curious Westerners. We almost gave up when we couldn't find it, but Brendan saved the day with his iPhone and we escaped the hot, crowded streets in the quiet walls of the temple. The highlight of the day came next. We were sitting on the steps of the temple, planning our next move (mostly, how to get home) and this woman walked up and sat with us. She (Marisa) grabbed our map and started showing us all the "to-dos" in the area, complete with times, distances and prices. A tuk tuk driver would stop, show us where to go, wait for us and then take us to the next spot and eventually home. All for 60 baht ($2). As much as we hate to admit, we were immediately skeptical that she was trying to sell us on something else or just straight up scamming us. But, before we knew it we were on our own private tuk tuk being shuttled around the city to the Marble Temple and other sites we never would have seen otherwise. And, at the end of the day, the driver dropped us off at the apartment, collected his 60 baht and left us safe and smiling at what had just happened. We didn't get scammed. We didn't get robbed. We weren't in a ditch. And we got exactly what was promised. It was an unbelievable act of kindness from a local and just one example of how amazingly warm the Thai people are.

From strangers to friends twice-removed, we headed to the BTS to catch a ride into town for a dinner with Debbie and her daughter Leila, who we had been put in contact with through a friend and work colleague back in Austin. What a meal! Debbie and Leila took charge with the ordering after a few questions about our preferences and dietary restrictions (haha) and in moments, plate after plate of amazing food and a two-liter water cooler of beer showed up at the table. Pla Duk Fu was a highlight for us - shredded and then deep fried catfish with a spicy mango salad on top. Yum! If the meal wasn't already memorable enough, we piled into Debbie's car and headed to their favorite Bangkok street food area (Soi 38 on Sukumvit or the Thong Lo stop on BTS) for dessert. We had what we'll call "Ice Soup" that was pieced together from picking any of dozens of "toppings" with a choice of "base liquid". It was definitely something we never would or could have attempted on our own, but luckily Debbie and Leila expertly pieced together a palatable bowl. It wasn't our favorite, but it was interesting and full of surprises. Down the road, we stopped for some Roti, a delicious crepe stuffed with fruit and topped with sugar and condensed milk. The Roti vendor saw us watching in amazement as he expertly flipped the paper thin dough and offered to teach us how to do it ourselves! Leila said she had never seen that happen in Bangkok, so we gladly took advantage. It was much harder than it looked and after some failed attempts, we gave our respect to the vendor and left the flipping to him. The banana roti was delicious and perfectly prepared.

Full and exhausted, we dragged ourselves back to the apartment to meet the third and final installment of our Thailand crew... Jimmy and Megan. It was only midnight, which in Bangkok is equivalent to 8pm, so we did the only logical thing and went right back out for food and drinks. The night ended at 3am, we passed out at the apartment for a few hours and regrouped with the crew at 9am for a day of serious sightseeing.

The crew fully assembled on the other side of the world. Let the party begin!