Wandering the Island of Phuket

     Our journey to Phuket began with Bowen eating an entire fennel in the airport terminal. Turns out you can buy all kinds of organic vegetables, dehydrated food, and beer all in Don Mueang airport. That however was the peak of excitement to be had in the airport, and, after an unexpected and untold gate change, we were in the air headed to Phuket.


     We landed in the darkness, again, and proceeded to find a taxi and head to Shanti's island location. We were all expecting more of the same as the one in Bangkok, however were pleasantly surprised to find that this one had a pool, as well as multiple buildings, which all felt quite comfortable. Other than the noisy floorboards that existed on the entire top floor of the building pictured, this place felt 100 times better than Bangkok's loud, smelly, fast paced madness. We all got ourselves settled and decided to call it a night.

    The next day we decided, since we were on the island to check out the Vegetarian Festival, we might as well head into Phuket town and see what we could see. Mom and Dad asked what ways there were in to town, and decided on taking the local transit. This apparently impressed the manager that we had the patience for such a possibly tedious mode of transport. Now I'm sure you're all thinking of your stereotypical city bus, however the buses here are not at all like what they are at home. Here they are simply pickup trucks with benches, a roof, and some plastic curtains for when its raining out. Not to say that this is a bad thing though. I found it to be a nice change to the norm I've become accustomed to at home.

    When we finally got into the town we weren't sure what to expect. I for one wasn't expecting to be hassled for a taxi of damn tuk tuks the second we got out of the bus. That's one thing I find pretty annoying here, everyone is always trying to sell you something, even if you're literally walking out of a bus. After we told the tuk tuk driver to leave us alone, we made our way to the main street that we were told vendors would be selling vegetarian food along. I only pictured about a city block or so of vendors on maybe one side of the street, however it ended up being about 6 times that, along both sides of the street. And you literally couldn't find actual meat anywhere no matter how hard you looked. People seem to take this festival very, very seriously. You couldn't find a Thai in Phuket Town who wasn't wearing white. (the traditional color to wear during the festival)
   

    Normally, at home when we have something similar to this festival, we get the streets shut down right? Well apparently having trucks, scooters and tuk tuks driving inches from you while you buy fireworks and vegetarian food all day doesn't bother anyone. The road was constantly packed with festival goers, buses and food stalls. Personally I almost got hit by a few motorbikes, simply because I was in the state of mind that the streets would be closed off to traffic.

    As we further explored the streets, gawking at the amount of different ways people were able to sculpt tofu, we stumbled upon a very Chinese looking temple. Outside were some local kids throwing firecrackers at old people, who seemed to continue by unfazed. Inside the temple were tons of locals, all either praying, burning huge clumps of incense, or burning fake Chinese money. All of this, along with staying vegetarian during the festival would apparently bring you good luck. Also, if you light off a huge drum of fireworks in a tower that is literally built for said act, you would also become very lucky. At least that's what I've been assuming.

    After doing everything we could do at the festival so far, which took a few days, we decided to head to a beach that mom has been dreaming of going to since 2004. She made this very clear how long she's been waiting not only to us, but again to some guy hassling us to come to a timeshare presentation the second we got off the bus. We only walked probably a total of 35 feet to the spot we wanted to set up at, but you can sure bet we were harassed by people wanting to sell us this that and the other. It was a miracle we even got in the ocean at all that day! The one thing that bugged me the most about the beach salespeople, were the ones selling sunglasses. We were all wearing sunglasses to begin with, and then were told ours weren't "top quality polarized".

    However, besides being annoyed with these people, we did enjoy our time on the beach. Mom and Dad got their relaxing (or semi-relaxing) beach day they had been wanting for quite a while. After we left, Bowen and I convinced Mom and Dad to pay for us to try out some Thai go-karts. These turned out to be nothing like they are at home. The karts on offer (depending on what you pay, our karts went to 70km/h) could reach speeds of 110km/h. Compared to Calgary go-karts, these are traveling at Mach 3. Driving those around for 15 minutes was a great way to end the day.

    Our next move seems to be lining up to be the island of Kho Yao Noi. If you try finding it on some maps and probably any globe, you won't find it. We were shown by Kim, the owner of Shanti Bangkok and Phuket, that some maps seem to not even label the tiny island.

    Either way I personally am enjoying our time over here. It might get on my nerves at times but it can't be perfect.

       ~ Hollis

                    -A slightly unnerving sight to wake up to just outside your bedroom door

            -Brent, we had to take this for you. Electrical safety here is about #4 on the list of priorities.             

Thailand Pros and Cons

Bowen's Thailand pros an cons:

Pros:

Cheap Candy

Fireworks

Good pancakes

Internet

Ocean

Lots of little geckos 

Cheap pop

Cheap mentos

All sorts of weapons that are illegal in Canada (Switch blades, Brass Knuckles, Tasers, Butterfly knives)

Nice

Cons:

Cockroaches

Spiders

Leaf bugs

Beetles

Mosquitos

Venomous snakes

Malaria

Weird language

Open sewage

Hot as hell

No all dressed chips

No ketchup chips

No ketchup chips

No ketchup chips

The King and Us - First few days in Bangkok

We did the marathon journey from Oahu to Bangkok via Narita, Japan. After the series of cut-rate, econo-airlines we had flown on from Calgary to Hawai'i, we were pleasantly surprised by the top-notch service we received from Delta on both legs of the journey. We were fed hot meals! We were not charged extra for checked luggage! Each flight was an orgy of mindless entertainment on the little screens mounted in front of us! The cocktails were free! Travel is fun and easy!

The boys were greatly impressed by the services at Narita Airport. They both expressed a willingness to spend the year just living in Japan, what with its efficiency and the fact that it is the heart of the computer gaming industry. The restrooms were a marvel, exposing us for the first time to the "squat and shoot" porcelain, while Liz raved - no, really, raved - about the various spigots and pipes with which the bidet toilets are equipped in order to ensure hygiene in the nether regions of the body. The best part was the fake flushing sound one could set off to cover any offensive "bathroom noises". Liz was in heaven. In the spirit of exploration that we have instilled in them, Hollis and Bowen both hoovered down Big Gutbombs at the airport McDonald's.

Hollis is thrilled to be having McDonalds in Japan. He was a bit flummoxed when they asked him if he wanted the small or the large Big Mac though.

Remy and Liz having Japanese fast-food at Narita.

We landed at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport after a total of 17 hours actual travel time which somehow put us 13 hours ahead of Calgary time. We cabbed it to our home in Bangkok, Shanti Lodge, and all crashed in the tiny family room that we had pre-booked. We discovered right away that the Thais like their beds hard, and that having a private bathroom means that you have privacy from other people in the lodge but not necessarily from each other in the room. A 1/2 size swinging saloon style door was all that separated the toilet/shower from the rest of the room. Liz was really going to have to figure out some privacy for herself.

Staff at the Shanti Lodge doing kitchen prep on the floor. Traditionally, this is where Thais eat, which explains why they insist on shoes being removed before going inside. You don't want to track dog shit in on the table.

The heat in Bangkok has a stifling quality different from the island breezes that had caressed us in Hawai'i, and even in the cars there is no option for heat from the dashboard vents, only cold. If you want heat, open a window. There is a constant bombardment of noise and smell that contributes substantially to the culture shock. Pile on top of that an opaque alphabet and the need to rely completely on the English language ability of the locals and we knew that now we were really traveling. The Tompkins were no longer in Kansas.

Bowen and Remy enjoying the grilled appetizers at Shanti Lodge for a cost of $.30c/ skewer. Enoki mushrooms wrapped in bacon and chicken skewers. They went really well with a gin and tonic!

Hollis fits right in

We explored the city on foot, in tuk-tuks and taxis and river ferries. It is apparent that one could spend years in Bangkok and still only learn a fraction of the city. It was helpful to be in a metropolis like Bangkok, however, as we needed to sort out a few things: refund the thousands of dollars worth of tickets that the Delta agent on Oahu had insisted we buy before we were allowed to board the plane; fix Remy's iPad; equip Liz' cell phone with a Thai SIM card; develop film for Hollis.


Remy, in a daze one evening after a day of hard touring, stepped on his iPad and shattered the screen. The miracle that is Bangkok meant that for the cost of a trip to the Pantip electronics mall, a one hour wait and 1500 baht (about $60) the screen was replaced on the spot and the iPad working as good as new.

Pantip Mall, 6 floors of knock-off electronics.

Bangkok is still organized as of old, where all the merchants of a particular good or service tend to concentrate in one neighbourhood, so as long as you know where to go you can get what you need, usually at an outrageously low price and with outrageously good service. This place is a marvel!

Speaking of getting what you want, we all made an evening outing to Khao San Road, which is the epicentre for backpacker culture in old Bangkok. There is a heavy emphasis on cheap, overpriced clothing, alcohol, tattoos and unique cultural experiences like the "goldfish show" (Google it). There is also street theatre, when the police roll through to re-open the street at the end of the evening (it is blocked off for pedestrians for a few hours in the evening) and the vendors all rush to move their racks and tables off the roadway and on to the sidewalk as the police roll by, only to shift everything back out after the police have passed. One is constantly assailed by touts trying to lure you into tailor shops and bars, while tuktuk drivers offer impossibly low fares in what is already a well-known scam to transport you to vendors that will pay them a commission.

More Tuk Tuks awaiting customers

Crammed into a tuktuk. Liz fit in there too.

We also spent time at the Chatuchak Market, an amazing weekend market where there are 15,000 stalls selling everything you can imagine. We only managed to visit about 3,000 of them.

Blind guy with all sorts of crap and one beautiful farang attached to his body at Chatachuk Market

An interesting vendor at the Chatuchak market. He was selling moustache rides.

We found an oasis at Jim Thompson's house, a museum of sorts set up in the residence of that man who was an architect and probably a CIA agent.

Respite at Jim Thompson's house in the centre of the old city.

It is set along one of the canals that criss-cross the city, which were marvels of engineering in their day and early modes of rapid transit, but now constitute open sewers plied by incredibly noisy water taxis that stir up their festering contents every few minutes. All grey water sewage in Bangkok (sinks, laundry and showers) drain directly into the canals and river. Incredibly, large catfish and other species apparently thrive in these conditions, milling so thick on the surface in some places that you could walk across them. Certainly the evocative odour of Bangkok is that of raw sewage, while the totem animal would have to be the rat.

Water taxi on the canal

Liz enjoying her first $1.25 pad thai! It was delicious.

Overall, the city of Bangkok is a source of constant sensory over-stimulation. The only escape is to retreat to the air-conditioned confines of the room, which when shared amongst four people can be a little aggravating in itself. Bangkok has an incredible amount of things to share and explore, and overall we were left with a very favourable impression, even if our nerves were a little ragged around the edges.

-Remy

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Hawai'i is incredibly beautiful!

It’s impossible not to love Hawaii given the natural beauty that surrounds you at every turn. We found Oahu to be particularly awe inspiring especially along the north shore where we were staying.  The jungle along the highway is dense and the jagged green mountains look like something right out of Jurassic Park. This is EXACTLY what I thought Hawai’i should look like. 

The town of Hau’ula had little to offer us other than a quiet place to sleep by the ocean but the places to the north and south of it were incredible. A little research on the internet showed us that there was yet another cliff jumping spot mere minutes from where we lived. This one was about twice as high as Black Rock on Maui so that meant twice the fun for Hollis and Bowen. NO!! I didn’t take the plunge but Remy did! I don’t think our boys appreciate that most people our age know better than to do such childish things.

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU WILL SEE  HOLLIS JUMPING FROM A VERY HIGH CLIFF!

LOOK CLOSELY AND YOU WILL SEE BOWEN DOING THE EXACT SAME THING

The cool rock formations at La'ie Point, Oahu. A very un-cool stocking cap on Remy's head to protect the bald spot from the sun.

La'ie Point. Our kids jumped from way up here

La'ie Point was spectacular!

Our first day on Oahu was spent being a real tourist. By some miracle we managed to get the boys out of the house before 9am and off we went to see Pearl Harbour.  Now I realize that a terrible thing happened here and it is a super sacred place but would it be terrible to make it a slightly comfortable place for the millions of visitors that come to pay their respects every year?  I’m going to vent a little here….. It’s  Hawai’i so it’s hot and humid which is great if you are at the beach but hellish if you are at an open air museum. A little overhead fan even would have made the experience so much more enjoyable. They expect people to stay about 6-8 hours visiting the awesome exhibits yet there is no way to sustain yourself other than with ice cream, lemon drops or beef jerky from the snack bar. That’s right, no restaurant or cafe. Forget about bringing a picnic lunch either as the signs are very clear- NO BAGS ALLOWED, ALL BAGS MUST BE CHECKED $3 You have never seen so much junk being consumed by famished families in all your life. Oh, and it was CASH ONLY.

The main attraction at Pearl Harbour

Over 900 men buried at sea just below us in what is left of the USS  Arizona

Just in case we didn’t have enough punishment for the day,  Hollis really wanted to see Honolulu and we thought we might as well see Waikiki Beach while we were there. I’m sure most of you have seen Waikiki so I don’t need to elaborate. For Remy and I this was salt on the already sweaty wound. We did enjoy watching the surfing and the incredible boogie boarding before the 2.5 hr drive home through rush hour traffic though. Sorry, no photos.

The rest of our time on Oahu was spent in or near the water which is a no brainer. Our time in Hawai'i was great but it feels very familiar and easy so we are looking forward to the culture shock of Bangkok. We are ready to submit.

~Liz

Cliff Jumping Black Rock, Maui.

For those of you that haven't seen this on Facebook already......

Currently we are on Oahu for the next 4 days before we REALLY get started on this travelling thing and head off to Thailand. It's rainy here which I think it probably does A LOT given how beautifully green and lush it is. Maui was much drier, this is what I expected Hawai'i to look like.
 Our new GoPro camera makes everything more interesting, even a beach shower.. It beats Nintendo any day.
If you care to leave a comment on this or any future blogs please click on "off we go to south east asia" at the bottom of the blog ( it's hi lighted in blue) just under my name. This will take you directly to our site, we'd love to hear from you.

~Liz

Life Aquatic

For those of you that haven't seen this on Facebook already.

Aloha! (Hawaiian for "Howdy")

For the first time in 23 years, we left the comfort of the contiguous Americas to travel off-shore, flinging ourselves thousands of kilometres into the middle of the Pacific Ocean to the balmy environs of Maui. It is an unsettling feeling to realize that one is on such a tiny speck of land in the immensity of the sea. Looking down from the aircraft, we realized that there was thousands of feet of water below us filled with all sorts of creatures, most of whom we would never meet! It was nice to finally see solid ground beneath our wings, and even nicer to feel those humid trade winds blowing over the sheen of sweat that immediately sprang upon our skins when the doors of the aircraft opened.

After our extensive experience in Mexico, it is strange to be be in a tropical locale where so much seems familiar. It started with renting a car and driving well-ordered highways to the strata-condo we had rented in the quaint (read: kitschy tourist trap) town of Lahaina. Liz and Hollis bridle at how the Hawaiian culture seems to be "overblown" as every leather-skinned, transplanted mainlander greets us with "aloha" and sends us on our way with a hearty "mahalo". That was balanced by the Hawaiian native overheard describing something as "mo bettah" and the mason who spontaneously flashed us the "hang loose" sign (thumb and pinky finger extended from a clenched fist) when we expressed our admiration for the lava rock wall he was building. Remy tried to embrace the aloha culture with a hearty lump of musubi for his first breakfast. This local gut bomb, consisting of a thick slab of spam marinated in sriracha and strapped to a brick of sticky rice with a generous strip of nori, is available in gas stations and grocery stores everywhere for a couple of bucks. It goes a long way to explaining the morphology of your average Hawaiian. A shout-out goes to Chad from work for this awesome piece of local inside cultural advice!

 We rushed to the beach on our first day, and below is the obligatory Hawaiian Gothic portrait of Remy and Liz. Note that this is the last image you will see of two such white people, as Liz is already on her way to a beautiful golden hue while Remy is passing through the lobster-red phase that is required before his skin takes on a tan. The large black cliffs in the background were the launch point where all the boys threw themselves into the ocean like Hawaiian maidens being sacrificed in the cauldron of a volcano god. Or at least that is what it sounded like as each fell into the water below.

Bowen had discovered that he was on a "snow day" from online school, as a freakish snow storm belted Calgary and area. He took it hard, and really had to work at figuring out what to do with himself.

 Being jet-lagged, we took advantage of our disordered sleep patterns and crammed a whole lot into our first full day on the island. After the beach, we drove up through every microclimate from Puerto Vallarta to Nunavut in a couple of hours, stopping off to visit a goat farm. Below is our kids looking as some other kids.

 We continued on upward, driving the beautiful Haleakala highway to the summit of the volcanic mountain that is the source of this island. It was fascinating to watch the ambient temperature display on the rental car's dashboard steadily decline from 86 degrees Fahrenheit to a chilly 49. It was cold! But we did it in solidarity with the poor suckers stalwart compatriots back home.

 We were treated to a beautiful double sunset as the sun first sank into the bank of clouds covering the lower parts of the island, then again as it descended below the horizon and into the sea. Most tourists get talked into waking up at the ungodly hour of 3:00 AM to make the trek up the mountain in order to witness the sunrise, but we felt "mo clevah" that we avoided the large crowds and were treated to this double passage of the sun at a far more civilized hour.

The next day, we continued as tourists in the true sense, spending hours in the car and burning gallons of gas as we drove the road to Hana. We were one in a long line of rented automobiles, stopping at various roadside turn-outs to appreciate what the rainy north shore of the island had to offer. We swam in the pool of a jungle waterfall, as the photo below will attest. It was really difficult for Remy and Liz to tread water like that!

 The highway to Hana is one of the more incredible roads we have ever driven. It is single-lane in many places, usually where it crosses one of the 59 bridges on its 42 mile length from Paia to Hana. The coastline is beautiful, and the many walks through the jungle offer up some incredible flora.

 Painted eucalyptus - the bark grows naturally in this array of different colours.

 Big red flower. No big deal in the jungle, but a total thrill for pasty prairie dwellers like us!

The jury is still out on Hawaii. The true Hawaiian elements that we encounter are compelling, but the ridiculous food prices in the supermarket make us eager to get on with tropical second and third world experiences! That being said, the boys really enjoy the cable TV and we take the fact that everyone speaks our language for granted.

-Remy

Sharing in the LOVE in Portland

Our first stop on our year long adventure was in a city we all love- Portland, Oregon. It's a city that is notorious for being "weird" and that suits us just fine. We love the vibe here and consequently have visited many times over the past 5 years since I met Susie and Judy at a cooking class In Oaxaca, Mexico during our last big adventure. 

 Attending the awesome wedding today of Susie and John got me thinking about the power of choice and how just one decision can change the entire vector of your life- positive or negative. By choosing to open myself to a new experience and take a cooking class in Oaxaca I met these two great women who became fast friends. Susie and Judy have opened their lives to our family on many occasions and today when Susie got married to John, the man of her dreams, we were reunited once again to celebrate. We feel very lucky to be included in the intimate group that Susie calls her friends and to watch this awesome couple start their new lives together. 

       The last time our family will look so snazzy    

                        for quite some time!

                 The three Amigas are reunited once again

             Who doesn't love a great wedding cupcake?

                              Congratulations, Susie and John!!

We have 362 days left in this great journey. I wonder where our choices will take us and who else we 

will meet?

~Liz~