Out of all the days on our journey, the first day in Cambodia was probably the most interesting yet frustrating time we've had.
We crossed the Thailand Cambodia border from Aranya Prathet to Poipet. When we arrived at the border we were approached by a young fellow who seemed to be around my age. I can't recall his name but I will refer to him as Goon 1 for the rest of this post.
Now Goon 1 seemed to be a very friendly fellow. As he spoke some english, I asked him how to say Hello and Thank you in Khmer (the Cambodian language of choice) and he kindly replied with the correct answers. He then proceed to tell us that he worked for a bus company in Poipet and will "help" us to get there as he would like to generate business for his bus company.
So Goon 1 took us through the Customs and told us to pay for the Cambodian visa which will allow us to stay in Cambodia for 15 days. When we got through the Customs and proceeded to the visa purchase counter we were approached by another Cambodian who told us we had to pay 1000 baht (roughly $33) when the sign above said the visa costs $20 US.
sidebar - the visa counter price was $20 not 1000 baht: Scam #1
When we got through to the Cambodian side of the border, sure enough Goon 1 was waiting for us. He then told us that we were to ride in 2 buses that would take us to the main bus terminal.
sidebar - the main bus terminal in Poipet is not an actual bus station: Scam #2
We would later learn that we needed to be persistent with the $20 US visa.
Once we arrived at the bus station Goon 1 started to refer to me as his friend. He then proceeded sell me the ticket to Siem Reap which was very expensive. At this point, the story gets a bit complex.
At the bus station we met Sarah and Josey (sisters from England), Chad and Cori (Texans with incredible "Southern Charm"), Benjamin (the flamboyantly Cool French fellow), 2 Chinese couples from Gwang Ju, and 2 German homosexuals named Hans and Frans - I refer to them as homosexuals because they wimped out on me later, but I'm ahead of myself.
After our introductions to each other we inquired about the bus ticket price and the taxi rental price. We sent out scout parties to various parts of town as the bus ticket was priced at $10 US and the taxi rental price was at $60 US. The taxi was only big enough to fit 4 people. After walking around for a while we started to realize that the local taxi drivers and the locals in general were avoiding eye contact with us and even refrained from talking to us even though we initiated the conversation. At this point, some of us realized that we were being followed by some people from the bus company who were on motor bikes. The bus company's name was Atta.
After walking a short distance away from the bus station, we turned into the main road. After walking for about 10 minutes we came across a taxi driver who was willing to take all of us; we would have to rent 3 taxis but he would charge us $30 US per taxi instead of the $60 US quoted by the bus company. Please remember that we were still being followed by the people from the bus company.
With the good news of the deal at hand we headed back to the bus company to inform the rest of our group. Once we loaded all our gears and backpacks and started to head out we were met with criticism from the people at the bus company including Goon 1. We neglected them comments and walked towards the taxi driver. When we got to the taxi driver he changed his original position and declined our offers profusely. At this point some of us were pissed off as the temperature was hot and the road was dusty.
After we were declined by the taxi driver we decided to head back to the border. Once we arrived at the border we were approached by a local on a moped who asked us if we needed some taxis to Siem Reap. He told us to head to a certain restaurant near the border. At the restaurant we made a deal with the taxis drivers who were conveniently hiding at the back alley of the restaurant from the bus company goons. Because there were 12 people in total, we rented 3 taxis with 4 people in each taxi at $40 US per taxi which is $10 US per person.
I was assigned a taxi with the 2 Germans and as soon as I got into the taxi, it took off. At first I didn't give much thought to the abrupt departure of my taxi but slowly I realized that this taxis was driving around to the back alley ways and around the same bus station that attempted to rip us off. At this point I thought to myself "Oh $h!t, we're being fcuked". The next set of events that happened will be embedded within my memory forever:
1. A guy in a police uniform knocks on the front window of the taxi
2. The taxi driver opens the windows and speaks to the guy in the police uniform
sidebar - I refer to the police as the "guy in the police uniform" because one cannot tell who is the real police and who is not.
3. The taxi is rerouted back to the bus station.
4. I realize that our taxi was used as a bate so that other taxis can get through to Siem Reap.
5. FUCK!!!!!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Friday, February 9, 2007
Journey so far
Bangkok --> Surat Thani --> Ko Tao --> Chumpon --> Ranong --> Ko Chang --> Ranong --> Ao Luk --> Krabi --> Hat Yai --> Kuala Lumpur --> Taman Negara --> Kuala Lumpur --> Pulau Pangkor --> Kuala Lumpur --> Phuket --> Ko Phi Phi --> Ko Lanta --> Trang --> Bangkok --> Aranya Prathet
Thursday, February 8, 2007
To Cambodia
Didn't want to go but had to...
Leaving Ko Lanta was painful. It was the most beautiful island I have witnessed so far in Thailand as well as the most relaxing (Ko Tao + Ko Chang - All the hassles).
Because of our lack of an itinerary we were lucky enough to get the 3rd class ticket from Trang to Bangkok. Trang was reached by taking a minibus from Ko Lanta. On the minibus we met 2 gorgeous Swedish girls who ever travelling to Kuala Lumpur via Hat Yai.
Note to self - travelling with unknown + hot women is much more interesting than travelling with ones friends.
The train ride was an experience on its own. When the tickets said 3rd class, we really did not know what to expect. After we got on the train, the meaning of 3rd class was shoved down our throats.
To begin, all the 3rd class carriages did not have A/C but fans. Because of the hot temperature and all the passengers, the carriage cart became a sauna. The synergetic factors that added to the experience was the smell that I can only describe as a night club washroom + east side Vancouver.
The ride was around 13 hours so naturally we were expecting to sleep on the train. I had never been so wrong in my life.
Sidebar - people left ALL the windows open and the fans were turned on.
When the sun set, at first it was refreshing to feel the cool night breeze that was flowing through the open windows. Naturally we went to the very back of the last carriage and started a very superficial yet entertaining conversation with Thais who spoke virtually no english. What was interesting was that the SE Asia phrasebook I had taken with me was more handy to the Thais than to me. They were flipping through the phrasebook like there was no tomorrow just to tell me their names and where they were from. One particularly friendly Thai named Tom even taught us how to roll a cigarette using a palm leaf.
When we got back to our seats we found that the ladies in front of us were using our seats in correspondence with theirs to make a bed.
Sidebar - 2nd and 1st class seats have nice comfy beds which we saw after the ride.
Thus we began our brief but interesting quest for our sleeping area. Once we started moving towards the upper carriages we saw some interesting sights. Some of them include, locals whom were sleeping on the ground using new paper as a thin layer of protection from the train floor and themselves, kids who fell asleep standing up, and my personal favourite the baby that was sleeping upside down.
When we finally found an empty set of chairs to sleep on little did we know that the previously described stench would permiate through and into our souls. Our sleep on the train was as follows:
1. We fall asleep
2. 10 minutes later the train stops for no apparent reason. Because the air stops circulating, the stench comes back and chokes was awake
3. We get used to the stench and fall back to sleep
4. Bunch of merchants selling food and beverages jump into our cart and shout at the top of their lungs of the goods that they are selling
5. We wake up again
6. The merchants bugger off once the train starts moving.
7. We fall asleep.
8. The cool night air eventually turns cold.
9. We awake up.
10. Goto step 1 until we arrive in Bangkok
The result of the ride was caked on dirt + sweat + blood from bug bites + narcosis from the stench. When I took a shower once we arrived in Bangkok, I dare say that it was the best shower I had taken in my life.
Let this post be a warning to all and the future note to self:
WHEN IN THAILAND, DON'T RIDE THE TRAIN IN 3RD CLASS.
Leaving Ko Lanta was painful. It was the most beautiful island I have witnessed so far in Thailand as well as the most relaxing (Ko Tao + Ko Chang - All the hassles).
Because of our lack of an itinerary we were lucky enough to get the 3rd class ticket from Trang to Bangkok. Trang was reached by taking a minibus from Ko Lanta. On the minibus we met 2 gorgeous Swedish girls who ever travelling to Kuala Lumpur via Hat Yai.
Note to self - travelling with unknown + hot women is much more interesting than travelling with ones friends.
The train ride was an experience on its own. When the tickets said 3rd class, we really did not know what to expect. After we got on the train, the meaning of 3rd class was shoved down our throats.
To begin, all the 3rd class carriages did not have A/C but fans. Because of the hot temperature and all the passengers, the carriage cart became a sauna. The synergetic factors that added to the experience was the smell that I can only describe as a night club washroom + east side Vancouver.
The ride was around 13 hours so naturally we were expecting to sleep on the train. I had never been so wrong in my life.
Sidebar - people left ALL the windows open and the fans were turned on.
When the sun set, at first it was refreshing to feel the cool night breeze that was flowing through the open windows. Naturally we went to the very back of the last carriage and started a very superficial yet entertaining conversation with Thais who spoke virtually no english. What was interesting was that the SE Asia phrasebook I had taken with me was more handy to the Thais than to me. They were flipping through the phrasebook like there was no tomorrow just to tell me their names and where they were from. One particularly friendly Thai named Tom even taught us how to roll a cigarette using a palm leaf.
When we got back to our seats we found that the ladies in front of us were using our seats in correspondence with theirs to make a bed.
Sidebar - 2nd and 1st class seats have nice comfy beds which we saw after the ride.
Thus we began our brief but interesting quest for our sleeping area. Once we started moving towards the upper carriages we saw some interesting sights. Some of them include, locals whom were sleeping on the ground using new paper as a thin layer of protection from the train floor and themselves, kids who fell asleep standing up, and my personal favourite the baby that was sleeping upside down.
When we finally found an empty set of chairs to sleep on little did we know that the previously described stench would permiate through and into our souls. Our sleep on the train was as follows:
1. We fall asleep
2. 10 minutes later the train stops for no apparent reason. Because the air stops circulating, the stench comes back and chokes was awake
3. We get used to the stench and fall back to sleep
4. Bunch of merchants selling food and beverages jump into our cart and shout at the top of their lungs of the goods that they are selling
5. We wake up again
6. The merchants bugger off once the train starts moving.
7. We fall asleep.
8. The cool night air eventually turns cold.
9. We awake up.
10. Goto step 1 until we arrive in Bangkok
The result of the ride was caked on dirt + sweat + blood from bug bites + narcosis from the stench. When I took a shower once we arrived in Bangkok, I dare say that it was the best shower I had taken in my life.
Let this post be a warning to all and the future note to self:
WHEN IN THAILAND, DON'T RIDE THE TRAIN IN 3RD CLASS.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Ko Lanta
Back in Thailand.
I love this country - especially the south.
After being in the big city - Kuala Lumpur - for a week, it is nice to be back in a beach bungalow scuba diving with the fishes twice everyday. The traffic in Kuala Lumpur is bad enough to drive Mr. Rogers angry.
Ko Lanta is a small island off the west coast of Thailand near Krabi. It is not yet developed as some of the other popular tourist islands (i.e. Ko Tao, Ko Pha Ngan, Ko Samui, etc...). Life is slow on Ko Lanta. The locals run most of the hostels, restaurants and stores but the dive shops are run by the farangs.
Diving in Ko Lanta is supreme compared to Ko Tao. The visibility is quite good and the marine life are a plenty. Even the over all atmosphere of the Advanced diving course was much mellower when compared with the dive factory that is Ko Tao.
Our dive sessions included depth of 20 - 30 meters. While we were down at depth we saw schools of small red fish that makes a "wall of fishes". Other marine life that we saw include octopus, sea snake, ghost fish (family of sea horse), puffer fish, and heaps of other marine life that are a part of the ocean ecosystem.
Sidebar - note to self, buy a camera casing for under water for next dive.
I am afraid that I am slowly getting addicted to scuba diving. When I am underwater, the rules of the above world do not apply. I feel as though I am just another creature of this planet visiting an unfamiliar territory. Then all the western influences just wash away with the under water currents.
From Ko Lanta we will travel to Bangkok and catch a train to north Thailand and hopefully into Siem Reap.
I love this country - especially the south.
After being in the big city - Kuala Lumpur - for a week, it is nice to be back in a beach bungalow scuba diving with the fishes twice everyday. The traffic in Kuala Lumpur is bad enough to drive Mr. Rogers angry.
Ko Lanta is a small island off the west coast of Thailand near Krabi. It is not yet developed as some of the other popular tourist islands (i.e. Ko Tao, Ko Pha Ngan, Ko Samui, etc...). Life is slow on Ko Lanta. The locals run most of the hostels, restaurants and stores but the dive shops are run by the farangs.
Diving in Ko Lanta is supreme compared to Ko Tao. The visibility is quite good and the marine life are a plenty. Even the over all atmosphere of the Advanced diving course was much mellower when compared with the dive factory that is Ko Tao.
Our dive sessions included depth of 20 - 30 meters. While we were down at depth we saw schools of small red fish that makes a "wall of fishes". Other marine life that we saw include octopus, sea snake, ghost fish (family of sea horse), puffer fish, and heaps of other marine life that are a part of the ocean ecosystem.
Sidebar - note to self, buy a camera casing for under water for next dive.
I am afraid that I am slowly getting addicted to scuba diving. When I am underwater, the rules of the above world do not apply. I feel as though I am just another creature of this planet visiting an unfamiliar territory. Then all the western influences just wash away with the under water currents.
From Ko Lanta we will travel to Bangkok and catch a train to north Thailand and hopefully into Siem Reap.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Thaipusam
Wikipedia sayz:
Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம்) is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Lord Murugan (also Subramaniam), the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (lance) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.
To this day, I have never seen that many brown people (East Indians) in one place at the same time. Mind you, I live in Surrey BC, Canada which is the East Indians' home away from home.
The tour of the Batu cave usually takes about 20 minutes when the cave is empty (please refer to my flickr photos). But this 1.5 million people, it took about 3 hours from and back to the entrance.
Another salient characteristic of Thaipusam (besides the amount of people) is the sound of the beating drums. Before the devotees make their journey up the 272 stairs, they seemed to get "psyched" for the journey ahead by listening to the fast beating of the drums and dancing in circles while carrying their kavadi (which looked extremely heavy).
I don't know what it is, but one can feel a presence when he/she hears those drums beating. One can almost feel the enchanting effect of the drums when listening carefully:
As wikipedia describes, the devotees pierce their skin in the strangest places and perform feats solely based on faith that I have not yet observed in any religion (including my own)
After observing Thaipusam, only one statement remains in my mind - "No religion in this world has ANYTHING on Hinduism, Thaipusam, & its devotees". Also I felt ashamed for the fact that I do not give my religious dues solely out of laziness & lack of faith.
Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம்) is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Lord Murugan (also Subramaniam), the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (lance) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.
Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting. On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common. The most spectacular practice is the vel kavadi, essentially a portable altar up to two meters tall, decorated with peacock feathers and attached to the devotee through 108 vels pierced into the skin on the chest and back. Fire walking and flagellation may also be practiced. It is claimed that devotees are able to enter a trance, feel no pain, do not bleed from their wounds and have no scars left behind. However, some of the more extreme masochistic practices have been criticized as dangerous and contrary to the spirit and intention of Hinduism
To this day, I have never seen that many brown people (East Indians) in one place at the same time. Mind you, I live in Surrey BC, Canada which is the East Indians' home away from home.
The tour of the Batu cave usually takes about 20 minutes when the cave is empty (please refer to my flickr photos). But this 1.5 million people, it took about 3 hours from and back to the entrance.
Another salient characteristic of Thaipusam (besides the amount of people) is the sound of the beating drums. Before the devotees make their journey up the 272 stairs, they seemed to get "psyched" for the journey ahead by listening to the fast beating of the drums and dancing in circles while carrying their kavadi (which looked extremely heavy).
I don't know what it is, but one can feel a presence when he/she hears those drums beating. One can almost feel the enchanting effect of the drums when listening carefully:
As wikipedia describes, the devotees pierce their skin in the strangest places and perform feats solely based on faith that I have not yet observed in any religion (including my own)
After observing Thaipusam, only one statement remains in my mind - "No religion in this world has ANYTHING on Hinduism, Thaipusam, & its devotees". Also I felt ashamed for the fact that I do not give my religious dues solely out of laziness & lack of faith.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)