Gypsies and Monks

So I have to let you in on a little secret- I am home!

Home in the US! 

Home in Iowa! 

Home and living with my Mom and Dad! (Never thought I would say that again) 

Crazy? Surreal? Bittersweet? Exciting? Scary? YES all of the above! More on all of that to come! Until then I will continue with my stories from SE Asia!   

Perhaps the smallest banana on Earth? 

Friday morning we said farewell to our beloved Wendy House accommodations and had a go with the Sky Train. (Sort of similar to the L in Chicago-The best of BKK's public transportation in my opinion.) Taking this mode of transportation was probably a bit risky, seeing as we had a plane to catch and this was our first time making the connection to the airport. We crossed our fingers that we had the timing figured out and away we went!

High fives for us! We made our way through the new and very clean BKK airport and hopped on a plane to Chiang Mai (north Thailand). We were ready to leave the smells and crowds of Bangkok and had high hopes for Chiang Mai.

A busy day in Chiang Mai!

We were in luck! Chang Mai had our hearts as soon as we stepped out of the airport. We were immediately greeted by a very friendly cab driver willing to take us into town for 120 baht each ($2ea). For all we knew the town was less than a mile away, but at this point we didn't care; we were just excited about a nice driver with a clean car! Not to mention excited about a new town to embark on with air that wasn't so full of pollution!  

We made friends with cabbie Anek almost instantly. He informed us that our chosen accommodation wasn't great and graciously drove us to two others, at no extra charge, before we were content.  I should add that normally when a driver would tell us this -it was because he was getting paid by another hotel to bring us there instead. There was something about Anek, though, that made him seem more trustworthy than most.  He became our personal driver for the extent of our stay in Chiang Mai! 

We called Rux Thai, aka Little House, home for 275 baht a night. Translation: $8 a night for our own room, bathroom, TV, air-con and a fridge. Not bad, not bad! 

Well not bad that is until we found ants all over the room and our beds...the joys of traveling! A quick change of sheets and a fresh coat of bug spray and our room was as good as new...ish!

As usual, day one in this new location meant a day of exploration. We were pleasantly surprised when we came across the clean, well... cleaner, city square surrounded by a moat. Unlike the murky waters of Bangkok, the water was flowing freely and sans debris! We strolled through a busy food market, and walked down small culture-filled streets. We managed to come across the most delightful meal I had eaten in Thailand yet! A banana smoothie quenched my thirst while I attempted to ignore the extreme heat, sun and humidity. Spring rolls followed the smoothie. The fresh ingredients were laid out in front of us and we filled the rice paper wraps to our liking.

Satisfied and stomachs full, we attempted to walk off lunch while taking in the sites of an ancient temple (the original reason for the moat). The grounds were surrounded by a school for Monks, and before long we were sitting at a picnic table with an orange clad young man.  We attempted to educate ourselves about the Monk and his religion (Buddhism) through his broken English. He explained that he was 23, and had been working his way through Monk-hood since he was 8. It was a choice he had made on his own, he assured us. He couldn't say if he would be a Monk forever, but said it was remain his tittle for at least the next two years until he was finished with school. When we asked him for a brief description about what it means to be Buddhist, well...he couldn't exactly tell us. Is it wrong that I found this funny? We said Kap-pun-ka (Thai for thank you) and parted ways with the Monk... still unsure of base this religion sits on.

Coincidentally Lisa and I both heard a beer calling our names, so we decided to give our tired feet a break and enjoy a cold one. These thought provoking sodas always seem to bring about some entertaining conversations. Tonight's convo started with a discussion about what our weddings would look like if we were to get married tomorrow. Long story short- mine small, hers big, both in beautiful destination locations. Next thing you know, after commenting on a woman's purse, there were three of us at the table. The woman appreciated the comment so much she decided to join us for a beer! Her blonde curly hair was everywhere and I quickly determined she was a cat lady. She caught me by surprise though when she said she was a fortune teller too! From Monks to Gypsies...all in one day! Fascinating.

We picked her brain about the profession and throughly enjoyed the surprise entertainment. After a couple more beers with our new friend we went back to the guest house for a quick nap. We had intentions of heading to the night market, but our nap turned into a good night's sleep! Exactly what we needed before another exciting day in Chiang Mai! 

A sneak peak into what happens on day two! 

All Thai'd Up!

Guess who's back?!

I can't believe it either! I've missed my blogging time! So- I realize in my last entry I left you in Melbourne in the airport on my way to New Zealand, but seeing as it has been over a month since I was there I figured you could wait a little longer for my NZ stories. I want to tell you all about where I have been for the last month while it is fresh on my mind. Trust me I won't forget about NZ -I am just saving the best for last!

SURPRISE! I'm in Thailand! Yeah, that's right...Thailand, SE Asia! A place I had briefly thought about visiting, but struggled with whether it was worth giving up more time in Australia for. Great Barrier Reef- Thailand- Great Barrier Reef- Thailand...SUCH a tough decision. BUT alas, all the unknowns of SE Asia captured my interest and here I am, sipping juice out of a young coconut and taking in the smells of fish sauce.

Previous Thailand travelers had mentioned how cheap everything would be here, and I have to admit that looking at my bank account and hearing this news certainly played a role in my decision to discover this side of the world. They weren't kidding either! I, a deal seeking, budget stricken, almost broke backpacker, am living like a queen...sort of!

The adventure begins...

With less than 10 kilograms (22lbs) of a month's worth of belongings in my backpack (more than 10 kilos meant paying a lot more money for my budget flight), we made our way through customs and then out to hail a taxi. Turns out we would be the ones getting hailed. The abundance of taxi drivers all stood outside their cars waving at us "Taxi Ladies? Taxi Ladies?". With that we made a random selection. Unfortunately our selection refused to turn his meter on- which was a big no no we had been warned about. Fortunately he agreed on the price we had expected to be charged so we accepted his ride anyway. I had booked accommodation online- so I handed over the address and off to Soi 1 Backpackers we went.  We drove down what appeared to be a random alleyway that was somewhat deserted and offered very few lights. Upon arrival at 9pm the building was dark and seemingly abandoned. I was concerned. The doorway, however, was open so we curiously walked up the stairs and thankfully began to hear voices and catch some light. We were greeted by a room of smoke and the American owner who was dressed like Jimmy Buffet. The interesting man from Georgia showed us to our room. We were content with the place until we discovered the less than desirable bathrooms. It was then that we decided we would only be staying for one night!

By recommendation we discovered our first authentic Thai meal just down the street. Dessert was a Thai beer. Both dinner and dessert were fantastic and with that we considered our first night in Bangkok a success!

We woke up early and purchased fresh pineapple and papaya off the street for a buck! We stared at a map for a bit trying to find the river and taxi boat that our hostel owner suggested we try. It took a little instinctual trust and some guts to follow his directions down the filthy street clad with diseased dogs, run down shacks, and a variety of unwelcomed scents. The language barrier between us and the people in the streets meant pointing was the easiest and only way to determine whether or not we were headed in the right direction. A few points later and we had made it to the boat dock. This was far less glamorous than the boat dock you may be picturing! The litter filled river flowed around us and we found ourselves reveling in the fact that we were the only Westerners on the boat. The scenery was a bit shocking as we floated past a level of poverty I had never been exposed to before.

Eventually we ended up at the King's Palace and wondered around in our required garb of long sleeves and pants wishing we knew a bit more about what exactly it was that we were looking at. Too cheap to hire a tour guide we agreed to just take pictures and do research at a later date (still working on that!). The architecture was quite impressive- pictures don't do it justice.

 We bowed to the Buddha and blessed ourselves with who knows what before setting out for a canal tour.

  

We stocked up on some beer, booked a private boat and set sail. Sound glamorous? Fun yes, but glamorous it wasn't. It only cost us $12 each for this private boat! We motored through some Thai neighborhoods, saw more poverty- this time mixed in with a bit of wealth, and we learned how easy it is to get scammed! We bought a beer for the driver from a Thai lady on a boat. She had insisted he deserved one and we bought into her plea. With us in the front of the boat and the driver in the back she offered to deliver the beer to him. Only problem- she took our money and then instructed him to carry on...without ever giving him the beer.

He obviously couldn't hear our conversation with her and she was well aware. Lesson learned!

 The rest of the day was spent walking around town. We stopped by a market, an internet cafe, and then worked our way towards a new place of residence for the next two nights. The Wendy House was the name of our new guest house and it was a delightful upgrade. For only $5 more a night (total of $15 per night) we had a very clean room, our own bathroom, air conditioning, TV, fridge, plus internet and breakfast were included! Not bad! We were excited to freshen up in our new home before heading out for some grub. We decided to forgo Thai food for a night and ordered a pizza. Let me tell you- the pizza in Thailand is better than any pizza I had in Australia, not to mention 1/3 of the price!
     
The next morning I found myself, in a sleepy haze, feeling a bit shocked when the realization that I was actually in Thailand came over me! It was only a week prior that I had decided to visit the country and book a flight!  Crazy! 

My trendy massage outfit

Our complimentary breakfast was delicious and set us up well for a day in the life of Lisa and Bri. After breakfast we accomplished day two in true Thailand style- shopping and massages! We shopped around the 6 story, 1200 store MBK Center and then sought out a Thai massage to relax our shopping fatigued muscles! For $9 I had an hour massage that was like nothing I had ever experienced before. The masseuse used her whole body to work through every muscle and moving my limbs in directions I didn't know they could go. I'll admit there were a few moments when I questioned whether or not what she was doing felt good or hurt terribly! It was an intense massage to say the least- but I am not sure I have ever felt better!


 To top the day off we hit up a German beer garden and sipped on a liter of beer to accompany our spicy Thai lunch. The thinking juice had Lisa and I discussing our future and where we thought we would be in a year. Not too far into this conversation we both realized we didn't even know where we would be in a month's time!


This whole experience has offered a lot of time to think about my future and has been quite thought provoking. I am feeling very blessed to have been given this time to reflect, and I am becoming very excited about getting back to the US and taking advantage of the opportunities it has to offer.

My Fav- Tom Yum Soup

Yummy Street Food

These Thai people are funny! 

UPDATE!

Sorry for the lack of updates! I thought I would just briefly fill you in- I have soo much to talk about, but I don't have my laptop with me so I can't add any pictures and my computer time is limited. I am in SE Asia at the moment and traveling with just a 10lb backpack.

I promise several updates to the blog can be expected once I get back to Australia in May! I am taking good notes!

In the last week I have traveled from Sydney, AUS to Bangkok, Thailand; Chiang Mai ,Thailand; Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Sihanoukville, Cambodia where I am currently residing. We are staying in a bungalow type place right on the beach and it is beautiful! Next stop Siem Riep, Cambodia!

I can't wait to tell you all about this adventure!

Cheers,
Bri

Enjoying the Comforts of a Home

So I decided to take a break from the rest of my camping trip in WA and start catching up on where I've been the last three weeks...

Melbourne Bound! 

My last day in Fremantle was fitting as it resembled my first day there! Slow to wake up and get moving, Livia and I enjoyed a coffee before figuring out what the day would entail. We freshened up, put on our swim suits, and headed towards the beach. A couple last minute errands were made in town and then our towels were spread out on the sand. It was, as always, a hot and cloudless day. I chatted with new faces at the beach and caught up with a few friends from the hostel before packing up my bags to say goodbye (for real this time) to Fremantle. Livia and I sadly said goodbye with hopes of meeting again somewhere in this world! And Lut and Chris (the couple that picked me up at the airport when I arrived in Perth) loaded up my bags and we set out for a quick bite before my 12:30 am flight to Melbourne. 

I landed in Melbourne a few hours later and a few hours after that Lisa and I were excitedly reunited! Our travels around Oz together had finally commenced! 

We booked a hostel from the airport and set out to find our shuttle to St. Kilda. Sadly it was a cold and rainy day and I admit -it did put a damper on things. We made the best of it though and enjoyed some breakfast and mimosas before exploring St. Kilda and Melbourne's famous Chapel Street. 

A quick nap at the hostel became a necessary stop after a long night and early morning of flying. Once rested, we cleaned up for our first night out together since I had left Denver back in November. A glass of wine was our first mission. The boutique area of St. Kilda offered several options and we agreed upon a suggested place called Abbey Rd. Kings of Leon played in the background as we caught up about what went on in our lives over the past 3 months. 

The highlight of our day was dinner! We stumbled upon a tiny Indian restaurant and reviewed the menu. Preceding the food options was a story explaining how you pay what you think the food and experience is worth- placing human dignity above profit. That is right-  no set prices!  This was a gold mine for two people traveling on a budget! The food was pretty good and we agreed ten bucks per meal would suffice (a bargain in Aus). 

The next day was still pretty chilly so we layered up and set out to see the city. We rented some bikes, and with our bright red and blue helmets we scouted out the landmarks of Melbourne. 

We wandered around the infamous Queen Vitoria Markets where we enjoyed an incredible platter of Greek food and listened to the merchants yell out their special offers on produce. 

The afternoon came quickly and meant it was time to head to Geelong -where we would stay for the next couple of days. It was an hour train ride out to meet Lucy and Felicia- a sweet mother/ daughter duo that graciously hosted us while in Geelong. Lucy fixed up some spaghetti and we chatted for hours over the dinner table. Lisa and I were feeling very content and thankful for our great accommodations in a nice warm home! 

I can assure you I will say this again several times throughout my blogs- It is truly amazing how quickly Australian's can make you feel so welcome in their home. 

With only 3 days left in Melbourne we decided to head back to the city one more time. We set out to find a couple of guys we had become acquainted with in St. Kilda. They had invited us to check out the restaurant they worked in implying a free drink or two may be in store. We found the restaurant and were pleasantly surprised to still be there hours later enjoying food and drinks (for free) with all of the employees after the restaurant closed. It was an eclectic crowd and we had a blast moving about the group getting to know everyone's story! 

It is always a goal to meet locals because it's the best way to really get a feel for a place- I'd say we did quite well this night! 

  

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On Saturday Lucy and her husband Tony showed us around Geelong and then asked "What are some things you want to do in Australia that you haven't done yet?" I immediately responded with "fishing" but with no implication that I expected it to happen any time soon. Well…as my luck in Australia goes- an hour later we were on a boat fishing in the sea! Just minutes after our lines were thrown out we were pulling in squid! Ink would squirt everywhere each time a new one was drawn into the boat…it was as fascinating as it was disgusting! Once we had ten squid in our holding tank we decided to try and catch some flatheads. They turned out to be an even easier catch! Satisfied with our stash of sea creatures, we headed back to shore. Lucy taught us how to clean and prepare the squid- we applauded her efforts and let her continue the daunting task. Within just a couple of hours our success on the water ended up as a success on our plate! Talk about fresh fish! 

Lucy and Tony

"Fishing Ladies"

Cleaning the Squid for Dinner

We were scooped up on Sunday morning by another very kind couple- Connie and Gary. I was introduced to them via e-mail last year through friends of friends…of friends back in Iowa. We e-mailed back and forth quite a bit before I left for OZ and they gave me all sorts of advice about the country. I was elated to finally put a face to the e-mail address! They gave up their entire Sunday to spend on the Great Ocean Road with me and Lisa. We stopped at Bell's Beach- Australia's most famous surf spot, saw kangaroos hanging out at a local golf course and enjoyed some ice cream in Apollo Bay. The drive was spectacular- providing views of endless beaches almost the entire way! 

  

We drove back towards Melbourne through the rainforest before ending up back at their beautiful home where we were invited to stay for the night.  We met their daughter Rachel and the five of us went out for an amazing Vietnamese dinner. To think we had only known each other for one day is crazy as  they too made us feel so comfortable. Connie has such a kind heart and treated us like we were her own daughters. She is originally from Dubuque, IA, so it was fun to talk to her about the midwest and how she ended up in Australia. We also loved chatting with Rachel and hearing about her shopping adventures in the States. Gary was an absolute riot and we joked around with him all day as if he was our own Dad! 

After dinner we went back to their house to enjoy dessert and get tucked into bed before heading off to New Zealand! 

Gary kindly woke up early Monday morning to take us to the airport where we said our thank you-s and goodbyes. Once inside we headed straight to the check-in counter where our New Zealand escapade began a little sooner than expected… 

On The Road Again...

Ok, I am back….

Before I continue on with my travels I should make mention of a little dilemma we ran into during the first few days of the trip… 

Livia and I were having a hard time getting along with Mona. And by hard time I mean we were NOT getting along with Mona.  We butted heads with her anytime there was a decision to be made and arguments began over the smallest of comments. The tension was very obvious to everyone and at this point we even questioned whether or not to carry on our trip with her. We renamed her using the acronym FIGJAM and responded to her comments with DILIGAF.  As you probably guessed- neither of these phrases are very nice so i'll let you research them if you care to find out what they stand for.  I spoke to my Dad about the situation - his response: "You can tell a German, you just can't tell them much." He was dead on. It wasn't a pretty situation. BUT little did I know over the next couple of days this situation would turn into a lesson learned.  

Day 5 | February 26 | 2011

We arrived in Denmark, made the routine trek to the information center, and set off on our tour around the quaint little town. We were excited to learn that the sites to see around Denmark were everything but quaint…

We reviewed the suggested to-do list and each picked an activity. We agreed to make time for everyone's choice and our first stop was the berry farm. We were greeted by the owners of the farm and before long we were deep in the rows of raspberry bushes filling our baskets. 

  

From the berry farm we headed to the meadery where we enjoyed tasting a variety of honey, honey liqueur and a bit of honey wine- interestingly tasty!

The last activity of the day was to visit the Elephant Rocks and Green Pools. These two attractions were fascinating!

Elephant Rocks | Denmark

Green Pools | Denmark

 Unfortunately it was late in the afternoon and the sun was hidden behind the clouds so it was a quick visit before we were off to find our home for the night. We ended up at a campsite that was very obviously full of an older crowd. We strategically placed ourselves next to the youngest looking group and set up camp, enjoyed some pasta and broke out the goon.

The goon was going down as smooth as goon possibly can this night and honest words began to flow. The conversation started off a bit heated, but before long the German girl's shell began to crack. We talked friends and jobs and then we talked family.  Slowly but surely everything began to make so much sense. We began to understand why our dear Mona was so loud and why she was always right.  We began to learn why Mona was who she was.   I was quickly reminded that you can't judge a person until you really know them and understand why they are who they are.   I'll admit prior to this night, if we had been given the opportunity to leave Mona and travel with someone else we would have. We would have given up on Mona, and without giving her a fair chance. Thankfully that option did not present itself and by day five it was as if the three of us had been friends for years. 

With frustrations resolved and an empty box of goon- we decided it was a good night to hit up the pub. It was about a mile down a dark highway and we all agreed our mother's would not approve of this seemingly necessary trek. Sorry Mom, we did it anyway! We were relieved to see our neighbors from the campsite at the pub knowing they would be able to escort us home. A few beers later the pub shut its doors and we scanned the street for our escorts. Turns out we wrongfully assumed these guys were gentleman and once again found ourselves alone on this dark road. Too bad for them…revenge was in store! Once back at the campground we stopped by the bathroom to wash up before bed and had a very close (too close) encounter with a kangaroo on the way back to our tent. After calming ourselves we focused on our plan of attack. The GOON BAG! We blew up the goon bag and set it carefully next to their tent. It was Mona's turn to Pop the Goon and as the routine goes….BOOOOOM, run into the van, slam the door and erupt in laughter.  Success! 

Day 6 | February 27 | 2011

Day six brought us to Albany and another day without any agenda. We followed signs that said scenic route, ended up on bush farms and hiking to uneventful blow holes. A bit hungover, and thus slaphappy, we laughed our way to the natural arch that Albany is known for. 

Natural Arch | Albany

 After a chilly photo session on the arch we were back in the van making whale noises and any other odd sounds we could create. If anyone were watching I can assure you they would have thought we were handicapped. Things only became more goofy from there. Before long we found ourselves at another campground- too tired to cook dinner and sitting in the van taking pictures of each other making animal faces. We laughed until our eyes couldn't stay open any longer.

Day 7 | February 28 | 2011

With no reception on the radio we attempted to enjoy the Indian music that played from our only CD in the vehicle. Let me tell you- it isn't really sing-a-long/make the drive go faster/keep everyone awake type music! After a long drive we finally made it to Esperance where it was a wee bit colder and rainier than we had hoped. Tired of paying $17-$20 per person at every campsite we decided to cheat the system a bit. I hopped in the back of the camper van and hid while Livia and Mona spoke to the park ranger and claimed to be two campers instead of three. Success came easy and we immediately agreed to take our $20 savings to the pub! The Pier Hotel was our only option for a beer and it wasn't long before we were telling jokes with a few locals and some people from the mines in Kalgoorlie. We all laughed at each other's jokes, but I am fairly certain with all of the cultural differences in the room the level of understanding was low. The night carried on for a while and we left calling each other "Spunk Bubbles" - a term one of the pub regulars taught us. The walk home threw us for a loop as we confidently walked down someone's driveway only to find a big scary barking dog and no sign of our red bus! Of course we screamed and ran. Eventually we found our home and then… we found some bread.  Our excitement could have been mistaken for ravenous animals. We coated the bread with anything spreadable- pasta sauce, Nutella, peanut butter, honey, tuna- it all tasted so good at this point in the night. Stomaches full and eyes heavy we made our way to the tent feeling very satisfied with our first night in Esperance. The sun brought about day eight shortly after. 

Day 8 | February 29 | 2011

We set out to find some of Australia's best beaches after our breakfast of eggs and toast (which we considered a special treat from the norm of bread and Nutella). We went to Cape Le Grande and Lucky Bay- which was voted to have the whitest sand in OZ. 

Lucky Bay

The pictures don't do it justice. It was truly magical. The sand was almost as fine as flour and it squeaked with every step. We drove past herds of wild emus as we continued our tour of white beaches. We stopped at Whorten Bay for a lunch of cous cous and coffee and were joined by a goanna. He was a welcomed addition to our picnic until Mona tried to feed it tuna. A nice man quickly warned us to keep our distance as these type of lizards have no qualms about climbing people…oh and they bite. 

We headed back into town and shortly thereafter Mona hit a car while backing out of a parking spot! The owner of the car was sitting in the driver seat when it happened and Mona immediately hopped out apologizing profusely. The woman didn't even look up.  She did a quick scan of the accident site and, without saying a single word, huffed off - leaving us all speechless. The three of us looked at each other and couldn't help but erupt in laughter. With that…we drove away. 

It was a great day of sight seeing, but day seven also meant I needed to be thinking about my next destination. According to plan I should be searching for a ride to Adelaide at this point. Feeling a bit stressed, and not wanting to spend my last day in Esperance on the internet, I decided to scrap the plan- imagine that! I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Livia or Mona, and Esperance was a bit too small of a place to be left looking for rides. My decision was solidified over dinner as we sat in the camp kitchen with some Frenchies who, for no apparent reason, confirmed that one should never make plans. Crazy! I was heading back to Fremantle. A place I thought I may never see again! 

Side note: Livia is from Switzerland and speaks English very well. After spending over two years traveling around OZ her accent is a combination of several different countries making it difficult for anyone to guess where she is from. During our month and half together we worked on her American accent using Forest Gump's line-  "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." The phrase was said several times a day. Oh how fitting this sentence has been! 

Back to day eight...

You'd be correct if you guessed our last night in Esperance deserved another popping of the goon bag. Unfortunately for the Frenchies, they were the only people we had met at the campsite and thus would become our goon victims. I believe Mona took charge of this one and marched over to their tent. As always she jumped on the bag- BOOM, ran back to the van, we slammed the door, but before we could break out in laughter an unfamiliar sound interrupted our routine…a car alarm! We laughed even harder than normal and considered this a supremely successful goon pop! 

Lucky Bay | Whitest Beach in OZ