OMG! This quiz was sooo hard! I hardly knew a thing, but it was fun though!
We ended up at the 11th place. 35 teams subscribed. We did pretty good, thanks to our secret weapon: MR. NB.
It was a fun night. Fun to see everyone after our trip.
Saturday, 30 November 2013
Strong Beers Quiz
OMG! This quiz was sooo hard! I hardly knew a thing, but it was fun though!
We ended up at the 11th place. 35 teams subscribed. We did pretty good, thanks to our secret weapon: MR. NB.
It was a fun night. Fun to see everyone after our trip.
Friday, 29 November 2013
Kitty Back Home
Yes!
Our kitty is back! I went to get her at my sister's.
She's in a new environment but she looks OK. She'll need some time to adjust to our new home, but she will be fine!
I missed her so much! Out little family is complete again.
Our kitty is back! I went to get her at my sister's.
She's in a new environment but she looks OK. She'll need some time to adjust to our new home, but she will be fine!
I missed her so much! Out little family is complete again.
Thursday, 28 November 2013
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving...
 |
| Thanksgiving Turkey Kitty |
I think this is a good holiday. Stop and think about what you're thankful for, not religious at all.
I think Christmas in Belgium has been like that for a looong while, but it seems that people forgot about what it's all about.
I love Christmas, because it brings our whole family together every year. We don't see each other often and I can really enjoy us being together. I'm thankful for my family, because even though we don't always agree and we don't visit every weekend, we care for each other and we love each other. That's what's important, isn't it? OK, it's fun to receive presents, but that's not the main point.
Here's what I'm thankful for:
- My boyfriend's patience
Although I'm writing a blog to become the most positive person in the world someday, I still get womenly-like PMS attacks. Even if they're not premenstrual. That makes me a super crazy person who doesn't always respect other's people effort in situations where they really did the best they could for me or others. My negative self takes the overhand and starts complaining and moaning about everything.
So thanks to my boyfriend who still loves me, even if I'm the craziest (cat) lady on the planet and thank you for your patience! - My family
Like I said before, I love my family very much. I'm grateful for still having them around and that everyone's well at the moment.
I'm also blessed for still having my grandmother around, the time I could spend with my grandfather before he died and that I could stand beside him until his last breath. I still miss him very much, but I have so many great memories about this man and I will never forget him!
Thank you to my parents, brother and sister for always being there for me.
I would also like to thank my uncle Jomme and Aunty Ann for all the jokes and funny stories around the Christmas table. I'll really miss it this year! - My sister
Same category as the previous one, but a special thanks to my sister. She's the best sister in the whole wide world, because she looks after me and took care of our kitty when we were in Thailand. - My pets
I'm also thankful for our kittycats and our dog Fré. They light up my day when I get home. They're so cute! - Banana
Thank you Banana. You're my blog's number one fan. Without you I may not have been as persistent! - My shoes
Also thank you to my shoes. They fit perfectly and always take care of my feet.
I have a lot to be thankful for and it's good for me to write it down. In that way I'm really aware of what I got.
What are you thankful for?
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Expert Level: Advanced Coat
Finally! Back in sewing class!
The coat I will be making is based on one of my old coats. I'm wearing this coat for over 6 years now, maybe even longer! It's a coat from Max&Lola, My mom sold this brand when she still had her kids store. It's my favourite coat, but he's almost worn out. I can fix him though. It's the lining who's giving me trouble lately. But first I'll finish my own L. coat :-)!
I started on my coat today. It's a compulsory piece this semester. I'm really looking forward to the result, because this is an advanced level coat and getting my fabric wasn't easy.
I wrote about the store where I bought it a few months ago. When I wanted to start with my pattern, just before our holiday, I noticed that the fabric I took home wasn't the amount of meters I paid for. I contacted Les Tissus du Chien Vert about the problem and they advised me to come to the store. The store isn't nearby at all so I wanted them to send me the right amount by mail and I would send their fabric back to them. This shop has very bad service, although it's one of the most known fabric shops in Belgium. The staff I got on the phone (including the manager/owner) were very unfriendly and not helpful. I got really mad about the way they treated customers and about the fact that the shop's staff made a mistake that should be corrected without putting the customer to expenses. I also told him I was on a time limit, because I left on holiday. Even after that the owner was still very confident they couldn't do much more than sending me the right fabric AFTER they had received the fabric I got and I had to pay for the return costs of the package. Also, the packages for mail were going out two times a week and he wasn't planning on sending someone to the post office specially for me. I couldn't convince him to offer me a better service, so I paid for the returning packages and luckily I received the right amount of fabric just before we left.
I will never ever go back to this store again and I wouldn't recommend this shop to anyone!
Because of this whole game (took two weeks), I couldn't start on my coat, but today the day had come.
I cut my pattern out of the fabric and I also did the lining. I arrived late to class, so I wasn't able to start on sewing. That's something for next week.
The coat I will be making is based on one of my old coats. I'm wearing this coat for over 6 years now, maybe even longer! It's a coat from Max&Lola, My mom sold this brand when she still had her kids store. It's my favourite coat, but he's almost worn out. I can fix him though. It's the lining who's giving me trouble lately. But first I'll finish my own L. coat :-)!Tuesday, 26 November 2013
Back to Work
First day of work after our holiday.
I'm glad that I don't have a huge pile of work. It gives me time to get used to my desk again :-)...
Monday, 25 November 2013
Back Home, Back to Reality
Day 25
Our trip to the airport yesterday was thrilling!
We arrived at our hotel early to ask if the mini van could pick us up early because of the protests, just to be sure we would arrive in time. The guy at the reception couldn't reach the company, but said it could be that a taxi arrived at 9pm with travelers from the Chiang Mai bus. We just had to wait and hope we could take that taxi to the airport.
Our plans to end our holiday with a good foot massage got cancelled, because we had to sit and wait at the hotel.
At 9pm, no taxi arrived. We asked to call the company again to make sure they wouldn't be late at 10pm, due to the traffic. No answer and no worries. They should be in time, the receptionist said. 10pm he got a call that they would be 20 minutes late. 10.20pm they called to say they were nearly there. 10.30pm two motorbikes rushed onto the parking lot of the hotel, shouting to get on. They would take us to the taxi. Before we could say anything the receptionist had thrown our luggage on their steering wheels. My boyfriend jumped on the back of the motorbike, so I did too. I hardly had a place to sit, because my driver was a bit overweight. I literally had to grab him by his 'love handles' to have some grip. You can't even imagine how that drive felt! I feared for my life! Thai drivers are f*cking crazy!
We got at the taxi stop nice and safe, but apparently there were other travelers who were waiting there as well and had been standing there for a while. The motorbike drivers promised the taxi would be there at 11 at the latest, so we could be at the airport at 11.30pm. That was hard to believe, since the airport was at least 45min away and the traffic was still jammed. The police had blocked the street where we were waiting and made it a one way street. No stress!?
The minivan arrived at ten past eleven and I saw the driver putting a large bottle of Chang (Thai beer) from his car to the side of the road. This was a really dangerous situation, but because of our lack of time and the problems on the road, we had to get in. Their wasn't enough room for everyone and their luggage to get in, so me and my boyfriend had to take seat next to the driver. It took him at least 30 min to get out of the city onto the speedway. Almost every road to the speedway was blocked buy the police, but he managed to find a way. He rushed at 140km/h to the airport. I held my eyes closed for the whole ride.
We arrived at the airport at midnight. In time for our flight, but a few people had to run to catch their plane.
Our flight went well, no problems. We arrived half an hour earlier, at 1.30pm.
Back home, back to reality!
We're so tired. We have to have an early night! We have to get up at 6 for work :(!
Our trip to the airport yesterday was thrilling!
We arrived at our hotel early to ask if the mini van could pick us up early because of the protests, just to be sure we would arrive in time. The guy at the reception couldn't reach the company, but said it could be that a taxi arrived at 9pm with travelers from the Chiang Mai bus. We just had to wait and hope we could take that taxi to the airport.
Our plans to end our holiday with a good foot massage got cancelled, because we had to sit and wait at the hotel.
At 9pm, no taxi arrived. We asked to call the company again to make sure they wouldn't be late at 10pm, due to the traffic. No answer and no worries. They should be in time, the receptionist said. 10pm he got a call that they would be 20 minutes late. 10.20pm they called to say they were nearly there. 10.30pm two motorbikes rushed onto the parking lot of the hotel, shouting to get on. They would take us to the taxi. Before we could say anything the receptionist had thrown our luggage on their steering wheels. My boyfriend jumped on the back of the motorbike, so I did too. I hardly had a place to sit, because my driver was a bit overweight. I literally had to grab him by his 'love handles' to have some grip. You can't even imagine how that drive felt! I feared for my life! Thai drivers are f*cking crazy!
We got at the taxi stop nice and safe, but apparently there were other travelers who were waiting there as well and had been standing there for a while. The motorbike drivers promised the taxi would be there at 11 at the latest, so we could be at the airport at 11.30pm. That was hard to believe, since the airport was at least 45min away and the traffic was still jammed. The police had blocked the street where we were waiting and made it a one way street. No stress!?
The minivan arrived at ten past eleven and I saw the driver putting a large bottle of Chang (Thai beer) from his car to the side of the road. This was a really dangerous situation, but because of our lack of time and the problems on the road, we had to get in. Their wasn't enough room for everyone and their luggage to get in, so me and my boyfriend had to take seat next to the driver. It took him at least 30 min to get out of the city onto the speedway. Almost every road to the speedway was blocked buy the police, but he managed to find a way. He rushed at 140km/h to the airport. I held my eyes closed for the whole ride.
We arrived at the airport at midnight. In time for our flight, but a few people had to run to catch their plane.
Our flight went well, no problems. We arrived half an hour earlier, at 1.30pm.
Back home, back to reality!
We're so tired. We have to have an early night! We have to get up at 6 for work :(!
Sunday, 24 November 2013
Bangkok: Grand Palace
Day 24
We checked out of our hotel and ordered a taxi to the airport for tonight. It's our last day today!
My boyfriend wanted to see a buddha but we accidentally winded up at the Grand Palace. To enter it you need to be dressed appropriate, so cleavage, legs and arms covered.Watch out here! You can borrow clothing for free inside at the ticket office, but outside at the walls there are scammers who tell you you have to buy from them. The soldiers at the gate also say you have to buy, but don't! Just go inside and give 200 deposit, you'll get it back later if you return the clothes.
My boyfriend had to put on hippiepants. Pretty funny!
The palace didn't impress me that much. Other places left a greater mark. The texile museum did impress me though!
During a few decades the Thai clothing style had become western. The royal couple had planned an 8 month trip around the world to visit other leaders and cultures. The queen was really bothered with the fact that a traditional Thai garment didn't exist anymore. Two years before their trip she began with the designs of 8 garments together with a designing team. Even a French coutourier was part of the team. She ordered them to visit tribes with their own traditions of weaving. The result was splendid. Thai fine handmade silk and clothing patterns based on old traditions and garments that expressed
Thai culture.
This museum really impressed me. There's a studio where you can try on a garment. Pictures coming soon!
After this visit we kind of wondered around.
We're now at the hotel, waiting for our taxi to the airport. Hope that goes well, because traffic is jammed because of the protests in Bangkok!
We checked out of our hotel and ordered a taxi to the airport for tonight. It's our last day today!
My boyfriend wanted to see a buddha but we accidentally winded up at the Grand Palace. To enter it you need to be dressed appropriate, so cleavage, legs and arms covered.Watch out here! You can borrow clothing for free inside at the ticket office, but outside at the walls there are scammers who tell you you have to buy from them. The soldiers at the gate also say you have to buy, but don't! Just go inside and give 200 deposit, you'll get it back later if you return the clothes.
My boyfriend had to put on hippiepants. Pretty funny!
The palace didn't impress me that much. Other places left a greater mark. The texile museum did impress me though!
During a few decades the Thai clothing style had become western. The royal couple had planned an 8 month trip around the world to visit other leaders and cultures. The queen was really bothered with the fact that a traditional Thai garment didn't exist anymore. Two years before their trip she began with the designs of 8 garments together with a designing team. Even a French coutourier was part of the team. She ordered them to visit tribes with their own traditions of weaving. The result was splendid. Thai fine handmade silk and clothing patterns based on old traditions and garments that expressed
Thai culture.
This museum really impressed me. There's a studio where you can try on a garment. Pictures coming soon!
After this visit we kind of wondered around.
We're now at the hotel, waiting for our taxi to the airport. Hope that goes well, because traffic is jammed because of the protests in Bangkok!
Saturday, 23 November 2013
Bangkok: Shopping City
Day 23
I love Thai fashion!
We went shopping today. You can find things that are in style back home, but with a Thai twist. Very unique stuff too.
I bought a very nice shirt and saw a few dresses and blouses, but was on a tight budget. I also bought two amazing handmade pillows for our sofa for 900 Baht (around 20 euros).
Fashion shopping? Siam Center is the way to go! Prices from 20 to 150 euros a piece. Mix of small shops from young designers and bigger Thai clothing & accessory stores. You will not find H&M and Zara here, but why the hell would you want to shop here if you have the store at home???!!!
For electronics, MBK Center should be walhalla. We thought so too, but it was very dissapointing. Prices aren't that much cheaper than back home, so it would be much smarter to buy your device at your local store if you want warrenty :-)!
I love Thai fashion!
We went shopping today. You can find things that are in style back home, but with a Thai twist. Very unique stuff too.
I bought a very nice shirt and saw a few dresses and blouses, but was on a tight budget. I also bought two amazing handmade pillows for our sofa for 900 Baht (around 20 euros).
Fashion shopping? Siam Center is the way to go! Prices from 20 to 150 euros a piece. Mix of small shops from young designers and bigger Thai clothing & accessory stores. You will not find H&M and Zara here, but why the hell would you want to shop here if you have the store at home???!!!
For electronics, MBK Center should be walhalla. We thought so too, but it was very dissapointing. Prices aren't that much cheaper than back home, so it would be much smarter to buy your device at your local store if you want warrenty :-)!
Friday, 22 November 2013
Welcome to Bangkok
Day 22
From our hotel at Sam Roi Yot we managed to arrange transportation to Bangkok. We travelled by minivan with a crazy driver who certainly wasn't living in the land of smiles and he had awful long nails.
We got there OK.
Once we arrived at our hotel we went to look for some food and ended up at Khao San Road. Not our cup of tea, that's for sure. A street full of drunken tourists and during our five minute walk we passed two fights.
Back at the hotel (Penpark Place) we turned on the TV. Our favourite channel, Lotus Macau, was playing Kill Bill. Chilly Billy!
From our hotel at Sam Roi Yot we managed to arrange transportation to Bangkok. We travelled by minivan with a crazy driver who certainly wasn't living in the land of smiles and he had awful long nails.
We got there OK.
Once we arrived at our hotel we went to look for some food and ended up at Khao San Road. Not our cup of tea, that's for sure. A street full of drunken tourists and during our five minute walk we passed two fights.
Back at the hotel (Penpark Place) we turned on the TV. Our favourite channel, Lotus Macau, was playing Kill Bill. Chilly Billy!
Thursday, 21 November 2013
Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park - Phraya Nakhon Cave
Day 21
Finally! I've seen one of the most beautiful things ever! A temple, bathing in the sunlight, located in a cave: Phraya Nakhon Cave.
When we got back to the entrance of the park, we cruised to the other side of the park with our scooter. Believe it or not, everything went splendid with that thing! No accidents and we came across maybe 10 cars and a few other scooters on our way. Ideal for inexperienced bikers like us!
Finally! I've seen one of the most beautiful things ever! A temple, bathing in the sunlight, located in a cave: Phraya Nakhon Cave.
Unfortunately there were some filmmakers shooting a documentary, so we were limited in our walk around the cave. But that didn't stop me from soaking up the splendor of this place and taking some pictures.
To access the cave you need to walk along a trail first that brings you to a beach. Normally, you can go there by boat, but the waves were to high for transfers. This trail was just stretching our legs!
At the foot of the mountain (at the beach) you start another trail that brings you to 430m high. This one is a bit more advanced than the other one, but still OK!
We chilled at the beach for a while after our hike and visit to the cave.
When we got back to the entrance of the park, we cruised to the other side of the park with our scooter. Believe it or not, everything went splendid with that thing! No accidents and we came across maybe 10 cars and a few other scooters on our way. Ideal for inexperienced bikers like us!
We visited the visitor center where we could read some more about the park in Thai and went walking around the Nature Trail to spot some animals. I don't think many tourists come here, because parts of the trail that haven't been used for a while. Plants have been living their own lives and wooden bridges miss some steps. We managed to spot a giant lizard (I wasn't fast enough to make a picture), a monkey (who I thought was dead, because he was lying very still on the wooden trail!), a fish with legs and some crabs.
Tomorrow we'll be heading to Bangkok, our last stop before we go home!
Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Short Stop at Hua Hin
Day 20
My boyfriend booked a very nice hotel yesterday: Nicha Resort Hua Hin. Clean bed, clean bathroom, quiet, nice bed and Wifi was OK, so I was finally able to Skype home. We slept in and checked out at noon.
We tried to book a bus at the bus terminal, but everyone kept sending us to a travel agency up town. Once we got there we could only book a trip to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park or go with a mini van for 1500 BHT for the two of us. It's a one hour drive so it was overpriced, but other agencies were closed and we had to book a hotel at Sam Roi Yot first. That was quite a challenge because apparently Wifi not for free in Hue Hin, even at Starbucks. We managed to find an ice cream bar that did have free Wifi and with an old waitress, who we could not understand and neither did she understand us. She kept pointing to the menu board with her ice cream scoop. Eventually she got it right and we got a discount. It was pretty funny.
We also managed to find a hotel: Koram Resort.
My boyfriend booked a very nice hotel yesterday: Nicha Resort Hua Hin. Clean bed, clean bathroom, quiet, nice bed and Wifi was OK, so I was finally able to Skype home. We slept in and checked out at noon.
We tried to book a bus at the bus terminal, but everyone kept sending us to a travel agency up town. Once we got there we could only book a trip to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park or go with a mini van for 1500 BHT for the two of us. It's a one hour drive so it was overpriced, but other agencies were closed and we had to book a hotel at Sam Roi Yot first. That was quite a challenge because apparently Wifi not for free in Hue Hin, even at Starbucks. We managed to find an ice cream bar that did have free Wifi and with an old waitress, who we could not understand and neither did she understand us. She kept pointing to the menu board with her ice cream scoop. Eventually she got it right and we got a discount. It was pretty funny.
We also managed to find a hotel: Koram Resort.
We arrived at Sam Roi Yot and there's NOTHING to see here. A few tourists and that's it. It's super quiet!
We'll be staying at Koram Resort for two nights and then we're off to Bangkok.
Tomorrow is our trip to the Phraya Nakhon Cave. I'm so excited. But there's one thing I'm a bit worried about. We need to rent a scooter.
I hope we make it out alive!
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
Bye Bye Koh Tao
Day 19
Unfortunately, we have to leave Koh Tao and head towards Khoa Sam Roi Yot National Park to visit the Phraya Nakhon Cave. One out of our top three visits on our Thailand list.
I'm glad we did the diving course, it had me overcome some fears and I did something new. We met some great people too during our stay at Big Blue Diving Resort. People from the UK, Canada, The Netherlands and Australia. I had so much fun with these guys! Thanks for the wonderful days!
We took the ferry to Chumphon. The sea was very rocky and I got seasick yet again. The ferry is some kind of big speedboat and was almost flying over the waves. For the first time in my life I had to puke in a bag. Luckily, I have a very good boyfriend who takes care of me. He even went to the bin with my pukebags. I'm so jealous of him, the water is his home!
From Chumphon we took the bus to Hua Hin. I did not need a pukebag here, thank god for that! During our 30min stop at a gas station we managed to book a hotel. My boyfriend chose something fancy this time. We were in desperate need of a hot shower and a clean room, since the free rooms at Big Blue Resort weren't like that!
We arrived at Nicha Resort Hua Hin, just before closing of the reception desk.
We immediately crawled into bed and I called the home front to see how things were going. Kitty is fine, doggie is fine (and was confused on how we got into the computer), so I'm fine too!
We need a good night sleep now :-)!
We arrived at Nicha Resort Hua Hin, just before closing of the reception desk.
We immediately crawled into bed and I called the home front to see how things were going. Kitty is fine, doggie is fine (and was confused on how we got into the computer), so I'm fine too!
We need a good night sleep now :-)!
Monday, 18 November 2013
Koh Tao: Big Blue Diving Day Four - Certification Day
Day 18
Hooray! I got my certificate for the SSI Open Water Course!
Everything went fine on my last dives. I had to join another group and our instructor said me and my buddy were the perfect together! Everything under control and perfect communication!
A cameraman accompanied us on the dive and made a movie. When we get back to Belgium I'll upload it on Youtube.
We got to see:
Hooray! I got my certificate for the SSI Open Water Course!
Everything went fine on my last dives. I had to join another group and our instructor said me and my buddy were the perfect together! Everything under control and perfect communication!
A cameraman accompanied us on the dive and made a movie. When we get back to Belgium I'll upload it on Youtube.
We got to see:
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| Parrotfish |
- Parrot fish (my favourite!)
- Groupers
- Butterfly fish
- Clown fish (Nemo)
- Blue Spotted Stingray
- Yellow Margin Trigger fish
- Bat fish
- Angel fish
- Pickhandle Barracuda
- Banners
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Koh Tao: Big Blue Diving Day Three - Second Attempt
Day 17
Because I wasn't able to do my dives yesterday, I couldn't join our group to the last two diving sites. Our instructor, Nat, took me on a private dive in the afternoon. I had no problems this time. The sea was not as rocky as it was yesterday and I just concentrated on preparing my equipment. We got into the water and everything was just fine.
We saw some pretty cool things down there. A sharksucker even accompanied me until we got to the surface. I think he was around 20 cm long.
I totally loved it. Tomorrow I'll be joining another group for my last two dives. I already met my buddy.
Fish I saw:
Because I wasn't able to do my dives yesterday, I couldn't join our group to the last two diving sites. Our instructor, Nat, took me on a private dive in the afternoon. I had no problems this time. The sea was not as rocky as it was yesterday and I just concentrated on preparing my equipment. We got into the water and everything was just fine.
We saw some pretty cool things down there. A sharksucker even accompanied me until we got to the surface. I think he was around 20 cm long.
I totally loved it. Tomorrow I'll be joining another group for my last two dives. I already met my buddy.
Fish I saw:
 |
| Remora |
- Weibel Butterfly fish
- Groupers
- Wrasse (Slingjaw - Red Breasted - Moon)
- Clownfish (Nemo)
- Pink Anemone fish
- Porcupine fish
- Gobies
- Remora (Sharksucker)
- Sgt. Major
- Damselfish
- Christmas Tree Worms
Saturday, 16 November 2013
Koh Tao: Big Blue Diving Day Two - Into the Sea
Day 16
Ok, this didn't go as well as I had hoped...
When we got up this morning the sky was telling us rain would come. And it did in the morning. It wasn't a biggy, we had to pass our exam first anyway! I passed :-) 47/50
The wind didn't make it easy on us in the afternoon. We had to take the boat to our diving spot, but the waves made most of us really sick. I was already worried about the weather, about my first dive and then the seasickness came to hassle me. I started to panic a little bit and at one point I almost fainted because I was so sick. After a shake from my boyfriend to wake me up I managed to finish our buddy check and to dive into the water. I managed to calm down from the moment I jumped into the sea.
When I had to go down into the water it became really bad. During my buddy check I expressed my worries about my regulator. At the swimming pool I used another regulator that worked fine. I wasn't comfortable using this one, because I had the feeling my air passed through it in two times while I inhaled once. Hard to explain, though. Everyone said it was normal, but when I got under the water it really bothered me. It felt like I couldn't get enough air, so I started panicking. I was maybe half a meter below the water with my head, so I indicated there was a problem and asked to go up. My instructor saw I was panicking and couldn't calm me down so I went up. She told me to go back to the boat. I immediately started crying, because I really wanted to do this! I had to climb back onto the boat. I drank some water and calmed down. Failure.
If that wasn't enough for today, our banks blocked our cards and we were running out of cash. With our last money we managed to call to the bank's office to see what the problem was. Luckily, everything got resolved and we were able to withdrawal some money from the ATM again.
Positive about my day:
Although I didn't dive, I got to see some fish anyway. When I got back on the boat I had to puke overboard and fish came to the surface to eat my leftovers. Blue ones with a yellow stripe on their back.
I thought it was funny, so I had to laugh (and puke at the same time).
Ok, this didn't go as well as I had hoped...
When we got up this morning the sky was telling us rain would come. And it did in the morning. It wasn't a biggy, we had to pass our exam first anyway! I passed :-) 47/50
The wind didn't make it easy on us in the afternoon. We had to take the boat to our diving spot, but the waves made most of us really sick. I was already worried about the weather, about my first dive and then the seasickness came to hassle me. I started to panic a little bit and at one point I almost fainted because I was so sick. After a shake from my boyfriend to wake me up I managed to finish our buddy check and to dive into the water. I managed to calm down from the moment I jumped into the sea.
 |
| Diving hand signal: 'Problem' |
If that wasn't enough for today, our banks blocked our cards and we were running out of cash. With our last money we managed to call to the bank's office to see what the problem was. Luckily, everything got resolved and we were able to withdrawal some money from the ATM again.
Positive about my day:
Although I didn't dive, I got to see some fish anyway. When I got back on the boat I had to puke overboard and fish came to the surface to eat my leftovers. Blue ones with a yellow stripe on their back.
I thought it was funny, so I had to laugh (and puke at the same time).
Friday, 15 November 2013
Koh Tao: Big Blue Diving Day One - Swimming Pool
Day 15
It was time for some diving in the swimming pool and some more academics.
It was quite exciting and weird to only breathe through your regulator. I always have the urge to breathe through my nose.
Tomorrow is real diving day, but first we need to pass our exam in the morning. Fingers crossed!
It was time for some diving in the swimming pool and some more academics.
It was quite exciting and weird to only breathe through your regulator. I always have the urge to breathe through my nose.
Tomorrow is real diving day, but first we need to pass our exam in the morning. Fingers crossed!
Thursday, 14 November 2013
Koh Tao: Big Blue Diving & Lady Boy Show
Day 14
We took the ferry to Koh Tao around 12.30pm.
On the ferry there was a man who was spreading flyers from Big Blue Diving, a diving school. This was the company we chose yesterday and he told us there would be a free taxi waiting for us at the pier. Awesome!
We shared a the taxi with an Australian guy Leon. The taxi ride was very bumpy and I couldn't stop laughing. He was literally flying over hills and bumps.
When we got there we got our first briefing. Leon happened to take the same course as we did, the SSI Open Water Course.
We could start immediately by watching some introduction video's. Tomorrow we'll be getting into the pool.
We got our laundry to a laundry service. Everything was smelling so bad! I had to look for a new bikini in town because it was in my laundry bag and I wasn't planning to dive into the pool completely naked. Lets say that looking for a bikini isn't that easy as everyone says. At least it isn't if you don't have standard boobs. I think I tried on almost every bikini in town and they didn't fit. After a long search I happened to find one that fit and it's really nice too. I also bought a strapless one.
After my bikini hunt we grabbed for something to eat and went to a lady boy show in town. OMG, that was soooo funny and really good. I kept wondering where they all put their weeners! It's amazing how they can hide them! There were different acts like Britney Spears and Beyonce. Beyonce was really good. It looked very real with all her dance moves! I laughed my ass off!
It's time to go to sleep now. We'll have to be fit to get into the pool tomorrow!
We took the ferry to Koh Tao around 12.30pm.
On the ferry there was a man who was spreading flyers from Big Blue Diving, a diving school. This was the company we chose yesterday and he told us there would be a free taxi waiting for us at the pier. Awesome!
We shared a the taxi with an Australian guy Leon. The taxi ride was very bumpy and I couldn't stop laughing. He was literally flying over hills and bumps.
When we got there we got our first briefing. Leon happened to take the same course as we did, the SSI Open Water Course.
We could start immediately by watching some introduction video's. Tomorrow we'll be getting into the pool.
We got our laundry to a laundry service. Everything was smelling so bad! I had to look for a new bikini in town because it was in my laundry bag and I wasn't planning to dive into the pool completely naked. Lets say that looking for a bikini isn't that easy as everyone says. At least it isn't if you don't have standard boobs. I think I tried on almost every bikini in town and they didn't fit. After a long search I happened to find one that fit and it's really nice too. I also bought a strapless one.
After my bikini hunt we grabbed for something to eat and went to a lady boy show in town. OMG, that was soooo funny and really good. I kept wondering where they all put their weeners! It's amazing how they can hide them! There were different acts like Britney Spears and Beyonce. Beyonce was really good. It looked very real with all her dance moves! I laughed my ass off! It's time to go to sleep now. We'll have to be fit to get into the pool tomorrow!
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Koh Samui: Ang Thong National Marine Park
Day 13
A spectacular visit to Ang Thong Marine National Park today!
We got on a boat for a 1,5h trip to the park. We got a small breakfast on board but we had already eaten. The Hammock has an amazingly good breakfast buffet!! Fruit, pancakes, cereals, eggs, fruit juices,... All fresh and delicious!
Ang Thong Marine National Park has around 42 islands.
We'll be visiting two of them.
Our first stop was Koh Wao. At this island you can climb a steep track to the highest point of the island where you get rewarded with a spectacular view upon all the islands. My boyfriend got to see it. The last 50 meters were too scary for me. The track were all rocks and roots from the trees where you had to climb up and you had a rope to assist you. The last track were only pointy rocks. I think I dared to climb up, but down was another thing to consider. I couldn't do it and I really regret it! I was so mad at myself, but actually it's quite an achievement for me to get that far. So maybe next time I will!
While going back down we spotted some monkeys :-)!
After the climb we had lunch at the boat. Spicy curry but good!
Next stop was Koh Tay Plow where we started our kayaking trip to the other side if the island to see the Emerald Lake or Talay Nai. The kayaking trip was way too short because me and my boyfriend were in a very good vibe. We once went kayaking at Durbuy and ended up fighting because we weren't getting in the right direction. Kayaking is a real relationship test!
We climbed up the stairs on the rocks to get to the lagoon. The steps were really steep, but the view was totally worth it. Mind blowing, peaceful. Pictures aren't a reference for what your eyes see and what you feel! It was truly amazing how beautiful it was and it seems that nobody from our kayak group bothered to go the whole way down to the water where you could see all the underwater creatures. They just started snorkeling at the beach, missing all the fun!
After my battery run out to take pictures I enjoyed my moment of peace and quiet. After this we went snorkeling too.
This was a really great day and we ended up at Talay Café again. The food was so spectacular yesterday that we promised the waiter to come back.
This was our last day at Koh Samui. We'll be leaving for Koh Tao tomorrow with the ferry. We'll be taking an SSI Open Water Course there. I'm exciting to get diving, see some real fish!
After our wonderful and romantic dinner by the sea, with our toes in the sand, we went back to The Hammock and turned on the TV. We found a channel called Lotus Macau and they broadcast movies all day long. We bumped into 'Seven', one of the best thrillers ever made, starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. If you haven't seen it, shame on you!
Peace out guys, 'cause I'm totally relaxed! Brad is waiting for me!
A spectacular visit to Ang Thong Marine National Park today! We got on a boat for a 1,5h trip to the park. We got a small breakfast on board but we had already eaten. The Hammock has an amazingly good breakfast buffet!! Fruit, pancakes, cereals, eggs, fruit juices,... All fresh and delicious!
Ang Thong Marine National Park has around 42 islands.
We'll be visiting two of them.
Our first stop was Koh Wao. At this island you can climb a steep track to the highest point of the island where you get rewarded with a spectacular view upon all the islands. My boyfriend got to see it. The last 50 meters were too scary for me. The track were all rocks and roots from the trees where you had to climb up and you had a rope to assist you. The last track were only pointy rocks. I think I dared to climb up, but down was another thing to consider. I couldn't do it and I really regret it! I was so mad at myself, but actually it's quite an achievement for me to get that far. So maybe next time I will!
While going back down we spotted some monkeys :-)!
After the climb we had lunch at the boat. Spicy curry but good!
Next stop was Koh Tay Plow where we started our kayaking trip to the other side if the island to see the Emerald Lake or Talay Nai. The kayaking trip was way too short because me and my boyfriend were in a very good vibe. We once went kayaking at Durbuy and ended up fighting because we weren't getting in the right direction. Kayaking is a real relationship test!
We climbed up the stairs on the rocks to get to the lagoon. The steps were really steep, but the view was totally worth it. Mind blowing, peaceful. Pictures aren't a reference for what your eyes see and what you feel! It was truly amazing how beautiful it was and it seems that nobody from our kayak group bothered to go the whole way down to the water where you could see all the underwater creatures. They just started snorkeling at the beach, missing all the fun!
After my battery run out to take pictures I enjoyed my moment of peace and quiet. After this we went snorkeling too.
This was a really great day and we ended up at Talay Café again. The food was so spectacular yesterday that we promised the waiter to come back.
This was our last day at Koh Samui. We'll be leaving for Koh Tao tomorrow with the ferry. We'll be taking an SSI Open Water Course there. I'm exciting to get diving, see some real fish!
After our wonderful and romantic dinner by the sea, with our toes in the sand, we went back to The Hammock and turned on the TV. We found a channel called Lotus Macau and they broadcast movies all day long. We bumped into 'Seven', one of the best thrillers ever made, starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. If you haven't seen it, shame on you!
Peace out guys, 'cause I'm totally relaxed! Brad is waiting for me!
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Koh Samui: The Hammock
Day 12
We checked out at Hutcha Resort as fast as we could (awful breakfast btw) and checked in at The Hammock next door. Our room is really nice and clean, we even got towels and a totebag to take with us to the beach. We got a garden view room, nice and quiet. The beach is right in front of the hotel and they've got a porch with hammocks and everything looking over the beach. Even throughout the garden you can chill in a hammock.
We immediately booked a second night and a trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park for tomorrow. We'll be doing a hill climb to the highest point to have a spectacular view over the +-40 islands in the park and we'll be visiting the Emerald Lagoon.
Exciting! But first a day of relaxing at the beach! Tonight we'll go for diner at Talay Café. We went for an drink there yesterday. They have all these lights and candles on the beach with romantic wooden tables. Should be a romantic dinner :-)...
We checked out at Hutcha Resort as fast as we could (awful breakfast btw) and checked in at The Hammock next door. Our room is really nice and clean, we even got towels and a totebag to take with us to the beach. We got a garden view room, nice and quiet. The beach is right in front of the hotel and they've got a porch with hammocks and everything looking over the beach. Even throughout the garden you can chill in a hammock.
We immediately booked a second night and a trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park for tomorrow. We'll be doing a hill climb to the highest point to have a spectacular view over the +-40 islands in the park and we'll be visiting the Emerald Lagoon.
Exciting! But first a day of relaxing at the beach! Tonight we'll go for diner at Talay Café. We went for an drink there yesterday. They have all these lights and candles on the beach with romantic wooden tables. Should be a romantic dinner :-)...
Monday, 11 November 2013
Koh Samui: Mae Nam Beach
Day 11
We checked out at Weekender Villa and got a taxi to Mae Nam Beach.
When we checked in at Hutcha Resort everything went wrong. We didn't get the room we booked on Booking.com. The receptionist said it could be that the pictures were wrong and that the hotel only had maintenance control over its own website and not the information on other websites. We both knew this was total bullshit and demanded the room we booked on sight. She got two keys and showed us the room we thought we had booked and told us we couldn't have the superior villa. She could upgrade us to another room though. She walked to another room and showed it to us. It was OK, but still not was we should have got. We wanted to place our bags but then she said we couldn't get THAT room. The other room was the same but was on the whole other side of the resort. When we got there it was obviously the 'complainersroom'. It hadn't been cleaned for at least a month, because everything was covered in dust. The outside bathroom had leaves on the floor and when we got on our terrace we had a lookout on the dirty and smelly part of the river. We didn't get why she gave us this room, because the resort was totally empty! Maybe 10 to 15 bungalows had guests.
We decided to make the most of it, put on out bathing suit and ran to the beach. When we had just placed our butts in the chairs it started pouring rain.
After 10 minutes my boyfriend decided to just go ahead and dive into the ocean. He would get wet either way. I decided to wait a little longer under the umbrella, it would stop pretty soon. I started to play a game on my cell and when I cared to take a look at my boyfriend, I couldn't see him! After a few minutes I started worrying. It was still raining. Another 5 minutes passed by and that's when I really started panicking. I got up, left all my stuff behind and started running along the beach, looking for him. After a few minutes I found him. FIEUW!
I was soaking wet so I took my clothes off and went into the sea. I left all my holiday sorrows behind and just enjoyed this feeling I never had before. The warmth of the rain together with the warm ocean water can't be described. I had a moment of inner peace and that's something I've never had. It was just a short moment, because my boyfriend began to bother me with questions about our next moves.
After our swim and a talk with a German guy who stayed at the hotel next door and recommend to stay there, we went for something to eat and a romantic walk along the beach. I only drank cocktails so our way back to the hotel took a bit longer.
We also booked a room at The Hammock, next door. Rooms look VERY clean!
We checked out at Weekender Villa and got a taxi to Mae Nam Beach.
When we checked in at Hutcha Resort everything went wrong. We didn't get the room we booked on Booking.com. The receptionist said it could be that the pictures were wrong and that the hotel only had maintenance control over its own website and not the information on other websites. We both knew this was total bullshit and demanded the room we booked on sight. She got two keys and showed us the room we thought we had booked and told us we couldn't have the superior villa. She could upgrade us to another room though. She walked to another room and showed it to us. It was OK, but still not was we should have got. We wanted to place our bags but then she said we couldn't get THAT room. The other room was the same but was on the whole other side of the resort. When we got there it was obviously the 'complainersroom'. It hadn't been cleaned for at least a month, because everything was covered in dust. The outside bathroom had leaves on the floor and when we got on our terrace we had a lookout on the dirty and smelly part of the river. We didn't get why she gave us this room, because the resort was totally empty! Maybe 10 to 15 bungalows had guests.
We decided to make the most of it, put on out bathing suit and ran to the beach. When we had just placed our butts in the chairs it started pouring rain.
After 10 minutes my boyfriend decided to just go ahead and dive into the ocean. He would get wet either way. I decided to wait a little longer under the umbrella, it would stop pretty soon. I started to play a game on my cell and when I cared to take a look at my boyfriend, I couldn't see him! After a few minutes I started worrying. It was still raining. Another 5 minutes passed by and that's when I really started panicking. I got up, left all my stuff behind and started running along the beach, looking for him. After a few minutes I found him. FIEUW!
I was soaking wet so I took my clothes off and went into the sea. I left all my holiday sorrows behind and just enjoyed this feeling I never had before. The warmth of the rain together with the warm ocean water can't be described. I had a moment of inner peace and that's something I've never had. It was just a short moment, because my boyfriend began to bother me with questions about our next moves.
After our swim and a talk with a German guy who stayed at the hotel next door and recommend to stay there, we went for something to eat and a romantic walk along the beach. I only drank cocktails so our way back to the hotel took a bit longer.
We also booked a room at The Hammock, next door. Rooms look VERY clean!
Sunday, 10 November 2013
Koh Samui: Lamai Beach
Day 10
Goodbye to Siri House... We will be back for sure! Chiang Mai is an amazing city with wonderful food and people!
We flied with Bangkok Airlines at 12.30 in the afternoon.
This flight was really expensive, but we got free food at the Bangkok Airlines Lounge before take-off. Of course I stashed some popcorn and rice crackers in my handluggage. That's me!
We booked a bungalow at Weekender Villa at Lamai Beach. It had really good reviews on Tripadvisor, but when we got there the bathroom was really moldy. The whole room smelled. It was OK for one night. We immediately put on our swimming gear and took a dive in the warm ocean and the (clean) swimming pool. After that we went for something to eat at the village and when we got back we planned our stay at another hotel at Mae Nam Beach, at the other side of the island.
Saturday, 9 November 2013
Chiang Mai: Wat Doi Suthep
Day 9
Last day at Chiang Mai. Tomorrow we'll be flying to Koh Samui.
We visited Wat Doi Suthep. The most beautiful temple around Chiang Mai. At least, that's what travel guides said... It was sooo crowded with tourist hasslers who want money to take your picture, so you couldn't take its beauty all in. Wat Doi Suthep is located on a hill that oversees Chiang Mai city. Beautiful view.
At the Saturday market at the center we bought some souvenirs for our family back home and ate many different things. I accidentally ate a fried bug too. I did not order that one, it just happened to be in my dumpling.
We visited a beautiful temple where a school concert was going on. We stopped there for an hour to look at the kids in their traditional Thai robes. The girls who were waiting to perform their dance were happy to pose for a picture :-)
Time to go to sleep!
Last day at Chiang Mai. Tomorrow we'll be flying to Koh Samui.We visited Wat Doi Suthep. The most beautiful temple around Chiang Mai. At least, that's what travel guides said... It was sooo crowded with tourist hasslers who want money to take your picture, so you couldn't take its beauty all in. Wat Doi Suthep is located on a hill that oversees Chiang Mai city. Beautiful view.
At the Saturday market at the center we bought some souvenirs for our family back home and ate many different things. I accidentally ate a fried bug too. I did not order that one, it just happened to be in my dumpling.We visited a beautiful temple where a school concert was going on. We stopped there for an hour to look at the kids in their traditional Thai robes. The girls who were waiting to perform their dance were happy to pose for a picture :-)
Time to go to sleep!
Friday, 8 November 2013
Chiang Mai: Elephant Nature Park
Day 8
A friend recommended a visit to Elephant Nature Park. It's a care center for rescued elephants. Instead of making money out of them they ask for volunteers who pay to come and help to keep the park up and running. The elephants are fed by the visitors, but the park also needs to be cleaned, the elephant kitchen needs to be run and lots of other jobs need to be done.
Most of these elephants have an awful history: circus, abuse by owner, car crashes, land mines, etc.It's a good thing those animals end up here to get a second chance instead of being exploited again for tourists pleasures like elephant riding.
One elephant really got my attention: Meadow. Her both hips were broken because she was forced to mate. They tied her up so she couldn't move and had the male elephant climb her. Male elephants can get very aggressive while mating and because she couldn't move the weight on her hips became unbearable I just can't believe how some people have such a lack of respect towards animals. These stories break my heart every time! We fed her and gave her a bath at the river. She has a very hard time to walk. Our tour guide told us that she learned to live with it. Her 'accident' happened about 10 years ago. She's amazing!
Another thing that amazed me was how they care for each other. They make friends within their herd just like people. Elephants who need extra care, attention and love are looked after by their friends. They defend the one that's sad or sick. One elephant had a miscarriage about 6 months ago. Two elephants approached her to take care of her because she was so sad. It was truly touching, this story.
After feeding the elephants we had lunch ourselves. After that we visited the clinic and washed both elephants who had to stay there for medical treatment. We also did some work in the kitchen by washing some pumpkins.
We got a tour around the whole domain to meet with all the elephant families. We got to take a look at a two month old. We couldn't get very close. The family protected the baby very well. At one point we even needed to run, because the auntie came closer and closer.
Not only elephants have their home here. Cats, dogs, waterbuffalos and other animals are also sheltered here. Dogs and cats can be adopted.
Every animal in this park is being looked after. They give them medical care, food and lots and lots of love. Certainly visit this park. Give your money a purpose instead of riding an elephant for pleasure. These ellies are not being cared after!
It was a fantastic trip and certainly the most 'money well spend'-attraction so far!
A friend recommended a visit to Elephant Nature Park. It's a care center for rescued elephants. Instead of making money out of them they ask for volunteers who pay to come and help to keep the park up and running. The elephants are fed by the visitors, but the park also needs to be cleaned, the elephant kitchen needs to be run and lots of other jobs need to be done.
Most of these elephants have an awful history: circus, abuse by owner, car crashes, land mines, etc.It's a good thing those animals end up here to get a second chance instead of being exploited again for tourists pleasures like elephant riding.
One elephant really got my attention: Meadow. Her both hips were broken because she was forced to mate. They tied her up so she couldn't move and had the male elephant climb her. Male elephants can get very aggressive while mating and because she couldn't move the weight on her hips became unbearable I just can't believe how some people have such a lack of respect towards animals. These stories break my heart every time! We fed her and gave her a bath at the river. She has a very hard time to walk. Our tour guide told us that she learned to live with it. Her 'accident' happened about 10 years ago. She's amazing!Another thing that amazed me was how they care for each other. They make friends within their herd just like people. Elephants who need extra care, attention and love are looked after by their friends. They defend the one that's sad or sick. One elephant had a miscarriage about 6 months ago. Two elephants approached her to take care of her because she was so sad. It was truly touching, this story.
After feeding the elephants we had lunch ourselves. After that we visited the clinic and washed both elephants who had to stay there for medical treatment. We also did some work in the kitchen by washing some pumpkins.
We got a tour around the whole domain to meet with all the elephant families. We got to take a look at a two month old. We couldn't get very close. The family protected the baby very well. At one point we even needed to run, because the auntie came closer and closer.
Not only elephants have their home here. Cats, dogs, waterbuffalos and other animals are also sheltered here. Dogs and cats can be adopted.
Every animal in this park is being looked after. They give them medical care, food and lots and lots of love. Certainly visit this park. Give your money a purpose instead of riding an elephant for pleasure. These ellies are not being cared after!
It was a fantastic trip and certainly the most 'money well spend'-attraction so far!
Thursday, 7 November 2013
Chiang Mai: Naughty Massage, Tiger Petting & Boxing
Day 7
We woke up at Bau Tong Lodge. Compared to the location of this hotel -in the middle of a street full of pubs and girl cafés, if you know what I mean- and the dirty bathroom, we've slept fantastic! It was so quiet!
We started our day with a massage by naughty girls. I know what you're all thinking, little pervs, but you got it all wrong. No happy endings for us! We got a massage from Thai inmates... These women are learning some skills to reintegrate back to society. Becoming a masseuse is one of them. The prison opened a salon where they can practice. A one hour massage cost us 180 BHT. That's about 4,5 euro.
First you have to get dressed and put some sort of robe on and then they wash your feet. Their massage techniques are really impressive. They use their whole body. After your massage you get a Thai tea.
They really know what they're doing and you have to put aside that they're actually doing time. They're really friendly and gentle. If you're planning to have a Thai massage, do it here! It's a great initiative!
There's also a small restaurant where you can eat or drink something. You also get served by inmates.
A very unique experience!
After our massage we checked in at Siri House again. We got the cat room this time. Just my cup of tea!
We asked Pat to call us a taxi to take us to Tiger Kingdom, probably the most controversial attraction of Thailand. You can get inside a cage here with tigers and they won't harm you. Some say the tigers are drugged, others are convinced they're not. I'd like to think that with my vetnursing background, I would be able to tell if there are drugs involved or not. I wanted to go and look for myself instead of reading the reviews again and again.
I was really excited at first. We started at the little tigers and worked our way up. We had to wait for a few minutes, while watching other people playing with the cubs. When we got to go in there my heart was racing, until I sat next to one that was sleeping and the caretaker pushed me into waking him. I didn't like that. We could pet all the cubs, one by one, but my excitement made room for disappointment and unbelief. How could these beautiful creatures be locked up in here to pleasure tourists? Why don't they teach them to be tigers to release them back in the wild? WHY DON'T THEY EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THESE ANIMALS?? Not a single word was told about their natural way of life, why Tiger Kingdom is what it is and how they train the tigers. It's just a show to make money.
We went on to the next cage: the small ones. Those were quite playful and ran around the whole time. It wasn't easy to get a picture with them.
The medium ones were just laying in the sun, watching each other. Many people would get the impression they're drugged, because they're not active, but every hour/half hour they don't let anyone in the cage and the caretakers play with them. It's like a kitty at home. They don't seem drugged at all if you see how they're jumping to moving leaves and such.
Our last stop: the big cats. They were more active than the medium ones. They were constantly running around and playing with each other. The caretakers needed to get them away from each other so the visitors could pet them. I could sit next to one big tiger. He farted.
My conclusion about Tiger Kingdom: You can't stay away. Your curiosity takes over. I think that's why it still exists... But think about what would happen to the tigers if nobody shows up anymore... They can't be released back into the wild!
About the drugs: Animals can't be that active when drugged AND it's hard to find the right dose for animals to tranquilize them. I don't think a right balance between 'sleep and play' even exists. If there is, you need to take various factors into account. Weight, are they sober or did they eat,... Every tiger would have a different dose. I can't imagine the staff holding on to a log and weighing the tigers every morning before opening. One dose doesn't even last for a day. They should get it a few times a day to hold on to the same effect.
If there are some old fellow-students/teachers who have another opinion or want to point out something I forgot (I've been out for almost two years now), please DO!
I once said that if I could pet a big cat, I would die in peace, but I have to rethink that statement...
After a good shower and reviewing our visit to Tiger Kingdom, we went to see a Thai Boxing Game. Great to clear my mind.
Thai boxing is real fun! It's not only boxing, the fighters put up a show before they start.
I voted for blue once, the rest of my faith was in red. Blue won all the fights! Unbelievable!
We woke up at Bau Tong Lodge. Compared to the location of this hotel -in the middle of a street full of pubs and girl cafés, if you know what I mean- and the dirty bathroom, we've slept fantastic! It was so quiet!
We started our day with a massage by naughty girls. I know what you're all thinking, little pervs, but you got it all wrong. No happy endings for us! We got a massage from Thai inmates... These women are learning some skills to reintegrate back to society. Becoming a masseuse is one of them. The prison opened a salon where they can practice. A one hour massage cost us 180 BHT. That's about 4,5 euro.
First you have to get dressed and put some sort of robe on and then they wash your feet. Their massage techniques are really impressive. They use their whole body. After your massage you get a Thai tea.They really know what they're doing and you have to put aside that they're actually doing time. They're really friendly and gentle. If you're planning to have a Thai massage, do it here! It's a great initiative!
There's also a small restaurant where you can eat or drink something. You also get served by inmates.
A very unique experience!
After our massage we checked in at Siri House again. We got the cat room this time. Just my cup of tea!
We asked Pat to call us a taxi to take us to Tiger Kingdom, probably the most controversial attraction of Thailand. You can get inside a cage here with tigers and they won't harm you. Some say the tigers are drugged, others are convinced they're not. I'd like to think that with my vetnursing background, I would be able to tell if there are drugs involved or not. I wanted to go and look for myself instead of reading the reviews again and again.
I was really excited at first. We started at the little tigers and worked our way up. We had to wait for a few minutes, while watching other people playing with the cubs. When we got to go in there my heart was racing, until I sat next to one that was sleeping and the caretaker pushed me into waking him. I didn't like that. We could pet all the cubs, one by one, but my excitement made room for disappointment and unbelief. How could these beautiful creatures be locked up in here to pleasure tourists? Why don't they teach them to be tigers to release them back in the wild? WHY DON'T THEY EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THESE ANIMALS?? Not a single word was told about their natural way of life, why Tiger Kingdom is what it is and how they train the tigers. It's just a show to make money.
We went on to the next cage: the small ones. Those were quite playful and ran around the whole time. It wasn't easy to get a picture with them.
The medium ones were just laying in the sun, watching each other. Many people would get the impression they're drugged, because they're not active, but every hour/half hour they don't let anyone in the cage and the caretakers play with them. It's like a kitty at home. They don't seem drugged at all if you see how they're jumping to moving leaves and such.
Our last stop: the big cats. They were more active than the medium ones. They were constantly running around and playing with each other. The caretakers needed to get them away from each other so the visitors could pet them. I could sit next to one big tiger. He farted.
My conclusion about Tiger Kingdom: You can't stay away. Your curiosity takes over. I think that's why it still exists... But think about what would happen to the tigers if nobody shows up anymore... They can't be released back into the wild!
About the drugs: Animals can't be that active when drugged AND it's hard to find the right dose for animals to tranquilize them. I don't think a right balance between 'sleep and play' even exists. If there is, you need to take various factors into account. Weight, are they sober or did they eat,... Every tiger would have a different dose. I can't imagine the staff holding on to a log and weighing the tigers every morning before opening. One dose doesn't even last for a day. They should get it a few times a day to hold on to the same effect.
If there are some old fellow-students/teachers who have another opinion or want to point out something I forgot (I've been out for almost two years now), please DO!
I once said that if I could pet a big cat, I would die in peace, but I have to rethink that statement...
After a good shower and reviewing our visit to Tiger Kingdom, we went to see a Thai Boxing Game. Great to clear my mind.
Thai boxing is real fun! It's not only boxing, the fighters put up a show before they start. I voted for blue once, the rest of my faith was in red. Blue won all the fights! Unbelievable!
Wednesday, 6 November 2013
Chiang Mai: Jungle Trekking
Day 6
Thought we would be doing a 10 to 15 km trekking, but only did 6.
We think our tour guide named Birdie had a hangover... He was a funny man though and knew a few things in Dutch like: "Ma joeng!", "Mooi hier hé!" and "Verdoeme"!
My fear for the spiders in the woods dissapeared along our way up the hill, only until the caterpillar came along. It stung me when we were almost up. I screamed through the whole forest with a few accidental swear words. It felt like someone had poured a kettle of boiling water over my leg. I thought it was a plant at first, but when Birdie saw the blisters it had caused he said it was the caterpillar for sure. He gave me an anti allergic cream and by the time we were back at our van, the blisters were gone and the pain was too. Heavy pain but short. That's good, because I feared I would be in pain for a few days!
After the walk we visited the orchid and butterly farm. This wasn't anything special, but was in our trekking pack.
After our trekking we had to look for a new room. Siri House didn't have one for us that evening, but we were more than welcome for our last two nights. We immediately booked those to be sure.
We went to Bau Tong Lodge at the center of Chiang Mai and booked a room for 600 BHT. After taking a closer look to the bathroom it appeared to be a dirty place. The wall is all covered in mold and smells a bit. It will do for this night, tomorrow we go back to Siri House.
Thought we would be doing a 10 to 15 km trekking, but only did 6.
We think our tour guide named Birdie had a hangover... He was a funny man though and knew a few things in Dutch like: "Ma joeng!", "Mooi hier hé!" and "Verdoeme"!
My fear for the spiders in the woods dissapeared along our way up the hill, only until the caterpillar came along. It stung me when we were almost up. I screamed through the whole forest with a few accidental swear words. It felt like someone had poured a kettle of boiling water over my leg. I thought it was a plant at first, but when Birdie saw the blisters it had caused he said it was the caterpillar for sure. He gave me an anti allergic cream and by the time we were back at our van, the blisters were gone and the pain was too. Heavy pain but short. That's good, because I feared I would be in pain for a few days!
After the walk we visited the orchid and butterly farm. This wasn't anything special, but was in our trekking pack.
After our trekking we had to look for a new room. Siri House didn't have one for us that evening, but we were more than welcome for our last two nights. We immediately booked those to be sure.
We went to Bau Tong Lodge at the center of Chiang Mai and booked a room for 600 BHT. After taking a closer look to the bathroom it appeared to be a dirty place. The wall is all covered in mold and smells a bit. It will do for this night, tomorrow we go back to Siri House.
Tuesday, 5 November 2013
Chiang Mai: The best is yet to come
Day 4
We got a warm welcome at Siri House yesterday. We needed a bed very badly after our bus rides. Pat kept asking about our plans in Chiang Mai and tried to help us by giving us a stack of brochures. We were super tired yesterday but went to the Sunday Evening Market anyway. Glad we did it! A mix of locals and tourists, very crowded, but great for souvenir shopping! I didn't bought anything though. I'm scared I won't be able to close my backpack...
Our first day at Chiang Mai: First impression confirmed. Although they say that Chiang Mai is the second most crowded and busy city after Bangkok, it's totally different!
People are very friendly here and taxi/tuktuk drivers don't hassle you all the time. They don't follow you around, they just knock their horns and drive by.
Siri House is a 15 to 20 min walk from the old city. We could take a taxi, or 'red car' is how they call it, or tuktuk, but prefer to go on foot. Stretch our legs, because my boyfriend wants to do a trekking through the jungle. I have to mentally prepare myself for this trip. I have no problem in walking this far distance, I'm trained since our trip to Wallonie a few weeks ago. The problem is: my arachnophobia Jungle is full of spiders, isn't it?! I can't stop thinking about it! But I have to be strong and positive! I can do this! Although I can't stop thinking about the catapult I should have bought at the evening market yesterday...
We slept in today and had breakfast at 10am. We started looking at some brochures Pat gave us and the map of Chiang Mai so we could plan our stay. We immediately booked two more nights at Siri House.
We started our day around 2pm at a tea house Pat had recommended us: Vieng Joom On. If I would start a tea house, this is how I would decorate it! Super cozy and typically tea-like! Expensive tea for 'normal' Thai though when we got the bill, but totally worth it! I had a rose bud ice tea and my boyfriend had a honey ice tea. Jum! They had small pastry to go with hot tea so I had my boyfriend promise me we'd come back here our last night at Chiang Mai. If you hadn't noticed, I'm a tea and dessert freak. Can't live without!
On our way to the travel agency to book the trekking we passed a few temples and went to take a look. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to go in there, because I was wearing really short shorts, but apparently there was no problem.
It's quite a long walk to the center, so every shop with handbags we cross, I take a quick look if I can find the handbag I saw yesterday. Many are look-a-likes, but not THE ONE!
We arrived at the agency but it was closed. Weird, because everything in this street was open. But this was the only agency that organised the trekking he wanted. We walked around for a few hours at the center, came back and it was still closed. We bought a wooden game for 190BHT on our way: Othello. We played it when we got back at the hotel and booked Elephant Nature Park for Friday and a cooking class for tomorrow.We'll choose some easy dishes so my boyfriend can't make up excuses anymore for cooking with food from a jar!
Day 5
Woke up to have breakfast at 9am. The chef who'll learn us to cook Thai will come and pick us up at 1pm.
We'll have to go to the center first to get some money at the bank and to get some musquitospray for the trekking tomorrow. We managed to book through email, but need to go by the agency for our payment. On our way there we passed a used bookshop and bought a Lonely Planet. We also passed a shop with embroiderd accessories and clothing and found a bag that beats the other one. This one was embroiderd and with a leather finish. My God, I've never seen a bag more beautiful, until I looked at the pricetag... 13000 Baht. 300 euro's?! I've never bought a bag in Belgium that's that expensive! I'd like to think I misread and that it's 1300. Maybe I'll go back and take a look on Thursday... The embroided dresses were'nt that expensive...
We got back in time for the chef to pick us up. His cooking school is named: I DiD
First we visited a local market and got some information about all Thai ingredients. We got to know all different chillipeppers, the difference between some sorts of rice, ... I really liked this visit. We were the only tourists here, so you could see the real Thai people and their ways. I took some great pictrues, after asking if it was OK.
We went to the chef's place. We could choose 4 different dishes.
My boyfriend did really good for a dummy! Everything was tasty, but the soup was really too spicy for me! I should have used less chilli. We got a little recipe book to take home with us. It was a nice surprise!
Now we're back at the hotel, writing postcards and updating my story.
My boyfriend wanted to go to a Thai Boxing game, but we'll postpone it 'till Thursdaynight. We need to get up early for our jungle adventure...
We got a warm welcome at Siri House yesterday. We needed a bed very badly after our bus rides. Pat kept asking about our plans in Chiang Mai and tried to help us by giving us a stack of brochures. We were super tired yesterday but went to the Sunday Evening Market anyway. Glad we did it! A mix of locals and tourists, very crowded, but great for souvenir shopping! I didn't bought anything though. I'm scared I won't be able to close my backpack...
Our first day at Chiang Mai: First impression confirmed. Although they say that Chiang Mai is the second most crowded and busy city after Bangkok, it's totally different!
People are very friendly here and taxi/tuktuk drivers don't hassle you all the time. They don't follow you around, they just knock their horns and drive by.
Siri House is a 15 to 20 min walk from the old city. We could take a taxi, or 'red car' is how they call it, or tuktuk, but prefer to go on foot. Stretch our legs, because my boyfriend wants to do a trekking through the jungle. I have to mentally prepare myself for this trip. I have no problem in walking this far distance, I'm trained since our trip to Wallonie a few weeks ago. The problem is: my arachnophobia Jungle is full of spiders, isn't it?! I can't stop thinking about it! But I have to be strong and positive! I can do this! Although I can't stop thinking about the catapult I should have bought at the evening market yesterday...
We slept in today and had breakfast at 10am. We started looking at some brochures Pat gave us and the map of Chiang Mai so we could plan our stay. We immediately booked two more nights at Siri House.
We started our day around 2pm at a tea house Pat had recommended us: Vieng Joom On. If I would start a tea house, this is how I would decorate it! Super cozy and typically tea-like! Expensive tea for 'normal' Thai though when we got the bill, but totally worth it! I had a rose bud ice tea and my boyfriend had a honey ice tea. Jum! They had small pastry to go with hot tea so I had my boyfriend promise me we'd come back here our last night at Chiang Mai. If you hadn't noticed, I'm a tea and dessert freak. Can't live without!
On our way to the travel agency to book the trekking we passed a few temples and went to take a look. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to go in there, because I was wearing really short shorts, but apparently there was no problem.
Day 5
Woke up to have breakfast at 9am. The chef who'll learn us to cook Thai will come and pick us up at 1pm.
We'll have to go to the center first to get some money at the bank and to get some musquitospray for the trekking tomorrow. We managed to book through email, but need to go by the agency for our payment. On our way there we passed a used bookshop and bought a Lonely Planet. We also passed a shop with embroiderd accessories and clothing and found a bag that beats the other one. This one was embroiderd and with a leather finish. My God, I've never seen a bag more beautiful, until I looked at the pricetag... 13000 Baht. 300 euro's?! I've never bought a bag in Belgium that's that expensive! I'd like to think I misread and that it's 1300. Maybe I'll go back and take a look on Thursday... The embroided dresses were'nt that expensive...
We got back in time for the chef to pick us up. His cooking school is named: I DiD
First we visited a local market and got some information about all Thai ingredients. We got to know all different chillipeppers, the difference between some sorts of rice, ... I really liked this visit. We were the only tourists here, so you could see the real Thai people and their ways. I took some great pictrues, after asking if it was OK.
We went to the chef's place. We could choose 4 different dishes.
- Starter: Thai Chicken Wearing and Fried Canape with Chicken Spread.
- Soup: Tom Yum Goong and Thai Spicy Chicken Coconut Soup
- Curry: Massaman Curry and Northern Thai Curry Noodle with Chicken
- Dessert: Sticky Ride with Mango and Siamese Red Ruby
My boyfriend did really good for a dummy! Everything was tasty, but the soup was really too spicy for me! I should have used less chilli. We got a little recipe book to take home with us. It was a nice surprise!
Now we're back at the hotel, writing postcards and updating my story.
My boyfriend wanted to go to a Thai Boxing game, but we'll postpone it 'till Thursdaynight. We need to get up early for our jungle adventure...
Monday, 4 November 2013
Waking up at Sukhothai
Day 2
After our stay at O'Nidra House in Bangkok, we went straight to Hua Lamphong Train Station. O'Nidra House is very clean and 2km away from the bus station. You can book double rooms, but there's no private bathroom. Bathroom is very clean though.
Before we left for Thailand there were railway constructions going on. Trains to Chiang Mai would start riding again on the 1st of November. Perfect timing for us! Except when we got at the station we were informed that the constructions were extended until the end of November. That was quite a bummer, so we stayed at the train station for like an hour, asking around at the information points if there were busses or trains that were replacing the missing lines to Chiang Mai. Surprisingly, nobody could tell us more about that in English. We weren't able to log on at the wifi hotspots, so we had to search for a café or restaurant with wifi. We managed to find a café across the train station where we payed for an hour of internet.
We found some night busses riding to Sukhothai (historical temples) and Chiang Mai. We took the metro to Mo Chit Bus Station and booked the night bus to Sukhothai for 360 Baht (approx. 8 euros) for each ticket.
Night busses aren't as comfortable as a bed, of course, but are OK if you take VIP or 1st class. We got a blanket and some water, a juice and a potato bun on the bus. We drove for 7 hours and arrived at the bus station at 5.30am.
My first impression of Bangkok: filthy smelly city and certainly not a part of the land of smiles! People aren't friendly at all and can hardly speak a word of English! People always try to get money from you. I hope the North will be better.
Day 3
At 6am We took a taxi jeep to the old center together with a few other tourists. We rented a bike for 30 Baht to explore the historical park. If you're planning to go to Thailand, make sure you visit Sukhothai! It's magnificent. I you ever played Tomb Raider on PC or Playstation 1, you'l feel like Lara Croft on a bike. The scenery is just the same as the game with all the temples, the trees and plants. If you visit Sukhothai, visit early in the morning! There aren't many tourists that visit the park as early as we did and I would definitely recommend the peace and quiet.
We gave back our bike at 2pm and went for something to eat.
We went back to the bus station to book a bus to Chiang Mai. For 240 Baht we drove 2nd class. 2nd class isn't as bad as the internet says. We got airconditioning and if you're a tourist you can definitely be sure of having a seat. If you're local you aren't. I was VERY surprised on how things were planned for that busride. We bought a ticket at 2.40pm to leave at 3pm. When we got on the bus with 2 other tourists there were not enough seats to put us on. I got outside and asked the bus driver if something went wrong with the booking. His assistant went inside the bus, we followed and he went to some locals. They got up and went to the front of the bus. At first I thought they didn't pay to get further than that stop, but when we got at the second stop 6 more people got on the bus, but no seats. The French couple did the same as I did: complaining to the bus driver. His assistant rushed onto the bus, went to a very old lady and literally grabbed her out of her chair (she didn't even had the time to take her hand luggage). He pulled her to the end of the bus while she had a hard time to walk. I saw what was going on and stopped the man. I said I didn't want to old lady to sit in the back of the bus (there were no seats there, it was just a little step where she could sit on) and offered her my seat. You have to know that the busride would take up to 5 hours! The assistant got a bit frustrated and waved his hands to me that I needed to shut up. I got really mad about this, blocked the pathway and said with a very strong voice that she could have my seat. The old lady didn't understand what was going on, she looked quite confused, so I pointed at my seat and nodded. She thanked me and got in my seat. The driver shaked his head. The woman of the French couple still didn't got a seat, so we had to stand up. She was really mad and she was right. This was truly a rip-off! The bus driver's assistant went to get his list and stood there for a few minutes, shaking his head and counting the seats. He was obviously faking his 'confusion'.
The next stop a few people got off and I had some room next top my boyfriend and the French couple also got a seat. The whole busride there were locals coming on and off the bus. They all had to stand up or were banned to the tiny room at the back.
I would never recommend this bus agency, but but I have a feeling that all 2nd class rides are like this. We don't have the name of the agency in English, but I have a picture of my ticket. The agency has its own booth at New Sukhothai bus station.
We arrived at Chiang Mai at 8.30pm and went straight to our B&B: Siri House. Pat, our hostess, is a very nice lady and gave us a map with some information about Chiang Mai. The Sunday market was till going on 'till midnight, so we went straight to there. Many people here, both local and tourists, but definitely worth checking out for souvenirs. I wanted to buy a nice handbag for myself, but another women bought it just before me. It was the last one :-(.
My first impression of Chiang Mai: clean and more friendly than Bangkok.
After our stay at O'Nidra House in Bangkok, we went straight to Hua Lamphong Train Station. O'Nidra House is very clean and 2km away from the bus station. You can book double rooms, but there's no private bathroom. Bathroom is very clean though.
Before we left for Thailand there were railway constructions going on. Trains to Chiang Mai would start riding again on the 1st of November. Perfect timing for us! Except when we got at the station we were informed that the constructions were extended until the end of November. That was quite a bummer, so we stayed at the train station for like an hour, asking around at the information points if there were busses or trains that were replacing the missing lines to Chiang Mai. Surprisingly, nobody could tell us more about that in English. We weren't able to log on at the wifi hotspots, so we had to search for a café or restaurant with wifi. We managed to find a café across the train station where we payed for an hour of internet.
We found some night busses riding to Sukhothai (historical temples) and Chiang Mai. We took the metro to Mo Chit Bus Station and booked the night bus to Sukhothai for 360 Baht (approx. 8 euros) for each ticket.Night busses aren't as comfortable as a bed, of course, but are OK if you take VIP or 1st class. We got a blanket and some water, a juice and a potato bun on the bus. We drove for 7 hours and arrived at the bus station at 5.30am.
My first impression of Bangkok: filthy smelly city and certainly not a part of the land of smiles! People aren't friendly at all and can hardly speak a word of English! People always try to get money from you. I hope the North will be better.
Day 3
At 6am We took a taxi jeep to the old center together with a few other tourists. We rented a bike for 30 Baht to explore the historical park. If you're planning to go to Thailand, make sure you visit Sukhothai! It's magnificent. I you ever played Tomb Raider on PC or Playstation 1, you'l feel like Lara Croft on a bike. The scenery is just the same as the game with all the temples, the trees and plants. If you visit Sukhothai, visit early in the morning! There aren't many tourists that visit the park as early as we did and I would definitely recommend the peace and quiet.
We gave back our bike at 2pm and went for something to eat.
We went back to the bus station to book a bus to Chiang Mai. For 240 Baht we drove 2nd class. 2nd class isn't as bad as the internet says. We got airconditioning and if you're a tourist you can definitely be sure of having a seat. If you're local you aren't. I was VERY surprised on how things were planned for that busride. We bought a ticket at 2.40pm to leave at 3pm. When we got on the bus with 2 other tourists there were not enough seats to put us on. I got outside and asked the bus driver if something went wrong with the booking. His assistant went inside the bus, we followed and he went to some locals. They got up and went to the front of the bus. At first I thought they didn't pay to get further than that stop, but when we got at the second stop 6 more people got on the bus, but no seats. The French couple did the same as I did: complaining to the bus driver. His assistant rushed onto the bus, went to a very old lady and literally grabbed her out of her chair (she didn't even had the time to take her hand luggage). He pulled her to the end of the bus while she had a hard time to walk. I saw what was going on and stopped the man. I said I didn't want to old lady to sit in the back of the bus (there were no seats there, it was just a little step where she could sit on) and offered her my seat. You have to know that the busride would take up to 5 hours! The assistant got a bit frustrated and waved his hands to me that I needed to shut up. I got really mad about this, blocked the pathway and said with a very strong voice that she could have my seat. The old lady didn't understand what was going on, she looked quite confused, so I pointed at my seat and nodded. She thanked me and got in my seat. The driver shaked his head. The woman of the French couple still didn't got a seat, so we had to stand up. She was really mad and she was right. This was truly a rip-off! The bus driver's assistant went to get his list and stood there for a few minutes, shaking his head and counting the seats. He was obviously faking his 'confusion'.
The next stop a few people got off and I had some room next top my boyfriend and the French couple also got a seat. The whole busride there were locals coming on and off the bus. They all had to stand up or were banned to the tiny room at the back. I would never recommend this bus agency, but but I have a feeling that all 2nd class rides are like this. We don't have the name of the agency in English, but I have a picture of my ticket. The agency has its own booth at New Sukhothai bus station.
We arrived at Chiang Mai at 8.30pm and went straight to our B&B: Siri House. Pat, our hostess, is a very nice lady and gave us a map with some information about Chiang Mai. The Sunday market was till going on 'till midnight, so we went straight to there. Many people here, both local and tourists, but definitely worth checking out for souvenirs. I wanted to buy a nice handbag for myself, but another women bought it just before me. It was the last one :-(.
My first impression of Chiang Mai: clean and more friendly than Bangkok.
Friday, 1 November 2013
Etihad Rocks
Day 1
14 hours with Etihad (transfer in Abu Dhabi).
Personal videoscreen with a catalogue for movies, series, music and games. We got some gadgets too, like a toothbrush.
Food was quite good.
We're at our hotel now. Clean rooms.
We need a good night sleep!
14 hours with Etihad (transfer in Abu Dhabi).
Personal videoscreen with a catalogue for movies, series, music and games. We got some gadgets too, like a toothbrush.
Food was quite good.
We're at our hotel now. Clean rooms.
We need a good night sleep!
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