Chiang Mai

After Otto bought me a 14 year old buddha amulette for protection and we went to Wat Arun in Bangkok to pray for a safe journey (by setting two ales free in the khlongs and feeding the fish there with snails) we took the night train to Chiang Mai.

This city is in the north and the second biggest in Thailand. It was a quite exhausting 13 hour train trip, but finally worth it. Chiang Mai is known for forests and hill tribes. This city is completely different to Bangkok. Things are more relaxed and surprisingly it is a really clean city. First thing we did was visiting a forest monastery and buying another amulette for protection. Thai people are extremely superstitious, but I already learnt a great deal about buddhism.

We will stay here for 3 days and then travel further to Pai.

otto :-)

So I left Koh Chang but not alone :-). I spent 4 days with Otto at his house in Ban Fa which is a very nice residential area 50km outside of Bangkok. The plan is to go to Chiang Mai, Pai, Chiang Rai and then cross the boarder to Laos. We already have organised all necessary Visas for Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Now the real travelling is starting - I am happy that I dont go alone!

Some diving pics

Its more than a week now since I have left Koh Chang. I was too lazy to put some really nice diving pics here. Thanks to Paul a good diving mate I got some pics from me while diving. In exchange I had to dive with him which was kind of boring as he is interested in all these little animals under stones. He is a true passionate on underwater photography. Anyway one can see on these pics that I really enjoyed diving. For private reasons though I decided to go up north and not to Pattaya or the Similan Islands.

Swinging in the hammock

The last 10 days I was very lazy - even too lazy to do some blogs. Anyway I arrived here in Ko Chang and it is really a good place to be. I am completely relaxed - passed my days on the beach in a hammock and the nights with very nice people having barbecues or full moon parties. I guess I read about 5 books :-). Indeed life on an island is just very different. Again some interesting situations I had. When I came here with Karla I met two Maltese. I lived in Malta and hearing their maltese English sounded nearly as being home. Well I hang out every day with them and I am sure I will see them again in Malta.

Then there is Simon a british navigation officer of big ships - that speaks fluently Thai and Lao and lives in Thailand when he is not on the ship. A very educated and interesting character. The way he speaks english and his sense of humour reminds me often of George. And the best is: he is from Lancing the biggest village in South England and I have been there to learn english (my first stay in England!). He couldnt believed it how I could have ended up in his village to learn english there :-).

High season over as well so it is really very easy going. But well after so many relaxing days - I had to get active again and now I am in the middle of doing my diving license and will continue to the advanced course as well so that I can dive 30m deep. Well I just love it - I should have known that - water is my element. It is a complete different world down there. So here is the plan: I am going to finish my two courses here in Ko Chang and then will travel south to all these islands with nice diving places. Ah yes and on Wednesday I am doing night diving :-). Who knows possibly I end up as an diving instructor.

Kanchanaburi

Cat and me went to Kanchanaburi - it is a provincial town in central thailand. The city is "famous" because of the film "the bridge over the river Kwai". Here the japanese build with Prisoners of war and forced labour the famous railways that connected Burma with Thailand in order to exploit the oil fields in Burma. Thousands of people died during the construction of this railway. So we went to the cemetries and museums. Apart from that rather sad part of history this region has the biggest natural parks in Thailand. I will have to come back because it takes far more days to discover this place - the nature here is very impressive. Will come back after Ko Chang - as I have to go back to Bangkok tomorrow and Cat is leaving for Australia to earn some money there.

Today we also have been to a small monastery that is known for the Tigers they have tamed. Was quite interesting but in the end a bit too touristic. Already planning my first steps into teaching English in small poor villages. That will be a great experience - after I have collected some experience in teaching - I will get a job in a school with richer Thai children just to earn some money and will continue to teach poor kids in my free time. In every hostel I am you can find brochures about schools seeking people that teach English. It is all so easy going... and I am happy that I can give something back to this nation!

Mounara

great people

As usual while staying with the elephants I met really great people. One of them Cat is now my travelpartner at least until Friday (then she is going to Australia to make some money). She is from the UK. A really cool woman. The most impressing ones of course were Michelle and Ewa - the two run the Elephant conservatory. Great examples for people that are free in their mind and just followed their dreams.

Also Ken from Hong Kong was really great to meet - he is a gay - but one of the nicest I have ever met. Currently in love with a guy in Chile that is still in a relationship - so he is a bit insecure. But I told him that I am sure that in a few months he will be living in Chile with him and learning Spanish :-). Ken will help me once I go to China with an university as I want to learn Chinese. I really enjoyed conversation with Ken a lot - talking about love, relationships, soulmates, dreams....

Beck the australian girl - spent already 20 days with the elephants - she is going to London pretty soon to work there for a while. It is amazing people coming and going - being adventurous and not afraid.

I am not a tourist anymore - I am seeing myself already spending some years in Asia - going where I fancy it. Living Freedom...

Mounara

babiiis

In my free time i used to play with these little bastards. The smallest is 2 months old. But they are already pretty strong. They constantly put my hand in their mouth to suck it :-). When they are bigger they go to school - as with humans there are very good elephant schools and bad ones. It was just so beautiful to watch them discovering the world with their little trunks.

Mounara